Highly active and stable CoWS2 catalysts in slurry phase hydrocracking of vacuum residue: XAFS studies

Abstract

The bimetallic CoWS2 catalysts were prepared in situ during the slurry phase hydrocracking (HCK) of vacuum residue (VR) using W(CO)6 and Co-octoate as oil soluble precursors to investigate the promotional effect of Co promoters on the dispersed WS2 catalyst for the VR HCK. The morphologies and structural properties of dispersed catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The bimetallic CoWS2 catalyst was observed to form well-dispersed monolayers in the size range of 7–11 nm, which showed higher turn-over frequency values (TOF) and C7-asphaltene (C7-ASP) conversions than monometallic WS2 or Co9S8 catalysts in the VR HCK at 693 K and 10.0 MPa H2. Moreover, the extended X-ray fine absorption structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) coupled with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations successfully verified the formation of the Co-W-S phase.