Controlled surface modification of alumina-supported Mo and Co-Mo sulfides by surface organometallic chemistry

Abstract

Surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC) was applied to the selective incorporation of cobalt or tin atoms to the active phase of molybdenum-based sulfides supported on alumina. The nature of involved reactions was investigated by analyzing the gaseous species evolved during the synthesis. The resulting materials were characterized by various techniques, like elemental analysis, electron probe microanalysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy study of adsorbed CO. The influence of cobalt or tin doping on the catalytic performance of sulfide was evaluated in a model reaction of FCC gasoline hydrodesulfurization. Under the appropriate synthesis conditions, SOMC appeared to be an efficient method to selectively modify the sulfide phase, leading to significant change in catalyst selectivity hydrodesulfurization/olefin conversion.