A study of relationships between pore size distribution, hydrogen chemisorption, and activity of hydrodesulphurisation catalysts

Abstract

A series of commercial catalysts was tested for hydrodesulphurisation (HDS) activity using an atmospheric gas oil. The pore volume distribution in the radius range 10–300 Å and the hydrogen uptake at 350 °C were measured for each catalyst. A correlation was found between relative HDS activity and the pore volume contained in the radius range 37.5–55 Å. The hydrogen uptake was also found to correlate with the same pore volume. The significance of the correlation between hydrogen uptake, a chemical property, and pore volume distribution, a physical property, is discussed.