A review on the Mo-precursors for catalytic hydroconversion of heavy oil

Abstract MoS 2 is known as core material for the hydroconversion of heavy oil in petroleum refinery due to its superior coke suppression and desulfurization activities. With the recent interest in applying MoS 2 to slurry-bed reactors, it has become important to design appropriate Mo-precursors and to identify factors for evaluating them. In this review, various methods for the synthesis of MoS 2 from Mo-precursors and their physicochemical properties were examined. It was revealed that several properties of Mo-precursors (dispersibility and thermal properties) and MoS 2 (sulfidation degree, particle size, and stacking) serve as crucial factors in determining catalytic performance. For better catalyst design, the decomposition pathway of Mo-precursors and the effect of carbonaceous material on MoS 2 were also discussed.