HDS of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene over MoS2 catalysts supported on macroporous carbon coated with aluminosilicate nanoparticles

Abstract Highly dispersed and stabilized aluminosilicate nanoparticles were hydrothermally grown onto the surface of macroporous carbon with the aid of polyelectrolyte multilayer structure. The formation of the anchored aluminosilicate particles was followed by SEM and 27 Al solid-state NMR. The acidity of the carbon-supported aluminosilicate nanoparticles was evaluated by ammonia-TPD and n -hexane cracking, which exhibited activation energy of 12 kcal mole −1 . Impregnation of the carbon-supported aluminosilicate nanoparticles with aqueous solution of molybdenum citrate complex formed at pH 1.5 produced a supported MoS 2 catalysts that exhibited HDS activity for 4,6-DMDBT ∼3.5 times higher than its aluminosilicate-free analogue. The higher activity of the catalysts is attributed to a great extent to its enhanced hydrogenation ability with no significant contribution to other reactions.