Preparation of novel mesoporous Ce-Ni2P/SBA-15 catalysts and their catalytic performance for hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene

Ni 2 P/SBA-15 precursors with Ni 2 P loadings of 25 wt% and initial P/Ni of 0.8 were prepared using nickel nitride as nickel source, diammonium hydrogen phosphide as phosphorus and mesopore molecular sieve SBA-15 as support. Then Ce was introduced into the Ni 2 P/SBA-15 precursor. The novel mesoporous Ce-Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalysts were prepared after temperature-programmed reduction in flowing H 2 . The structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, NH 3 temperature-programmed desorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalytic activities for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) were evaluated. The results showed that only Ni 2 P phase was formed in Ce-Ni 2 P/SAB-15 catalysts with Ce loadings of 0–5 wt%. Ni 2 P and Ni 12 P 5 phases were existed in 7 wt% Ce-Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalyst. The surface area and pore volume increased when Ce was added to Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalyst. The strength of the acid sites and total acid amount of Ce-Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalysts increased with increasing Ce loadings. Ce existed in the form of Ce 3+ and Ce 4+ , Ni existed in the form of Ni 2+ and Ni δ + , and P existed in the form of P δ − and P 5+ . The addition of Ce to the Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalyst decreased Ni δ + concentration in Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalyst. The activity for HDS of DBT over Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalysts was affected by the addition of Ce at 300–340 °C. The catalysts exhibited a good catalytic performance of deep hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene and the conversion of DBT can reach 98.9 % at 380 °C. Biphenyl was the main product over Ce-Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalysts and cyclohexylbenzene was the main product over Ni 2 P/SBA-15 catalyst at 380 °C.