Can Ni phosphides become viable hydroprocessing catalysts?
We prepared higher surface area nickel phosphides than are normally found by reducing nickel phosphate. To do this, we hydrothermally synthesized Ni hydroxy phosphite precursors with low levels of molybdenum substitution. The molybdenum substitution increases the surface area of these precursors. During pretreatment in a sulfiding atmosphere (such as H2S/H2) dispersed islands of MoS2 segregate from the precursor and provide a pathway for H2 dissociation that allows reduction of the phosphite precursor to nickel phosphide at substantially lower temperatures than in the absence of MoS2. The results reported here show that to create nickel phosphides with comparable activity to conventional supported sulfide catalysts, one would have to synthesize the phosphide with surface areas exceeding 400 m2/g (i.e. with nanoparticles less than 30 Å in lateral dimension).
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1240294
- Journal Information:
- Catalysis Today, Vol. 246; ISSN 0920-5861
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Thiophene Hydrodesulfurization over Nickel Phosphide Catalysts: Effect of the Precursor Composition and Support
Essential elucidation for preparation of supported nickel phosphide upon nickel phosphate precursor