Heteropolyacids supported on clay minerals as bifunctional catalysts for the hydroconversion of decane

Abstract The role of heteropolyacid (HPA) was studied as a precursor for the generation of NiMo and CoMo catalysts supported on a vermiculite and a bentonite previously delaminated and bolstered with the incorporation of AlZr and AlCe species. The solids were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and High-Resolution Transmission (HR-TEM), Raman spectroscopy, Temperature-Programmed Reduction (H2-TPR), IR spectroscopy with probe molecule (NH3-DRIFTS) and acidity analysis “in-situ”, electronic X-ray spectroscopy (XPS,) and the catalytic performance was evaluated in the hydroconversion of decane. The controlled modulation of the properties of natural clay minerals combined with the anchoring of the active phase from the HPA type precursor, generates supported catalysts with different ranges of catalytic performance. The stability of the HPA type structure was evidenced even after the calcination and pre-reduction process. The catalysts in the present work register better physicochemical properties (textural, acidic, reducible species and metallic dispersion) and a superior catalytic performance in the hydroconversion of decane, compared with catalysts obtained from a conventional salt reported in the literature.