Effect of catalyst preparation conditions on the hydrodesulfurization of thiophene over Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3

The purpose of this research was to study the effects of preparation conditions on the catalytic properties of the Co-Mo/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst. The work included catalyst preparations and reactions. In the preparations, cobalt-impregnated Mo/gamma-Al2O3 (designated as IcIM) was found to have a promoting effect on the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of thiophene. Activity and stability of IcIM was higher than that of Mo/gamma-Al2O3. Conversely, when cobalt was added onto Mo/gamma-Al2O3 by the mechanical mixing method, no promoting effect was observed. Mo/gamma-Al2O3 was also prepared using the two different methods (incipient impregnation or mechanical mixing). The differently prepared Mo/gamma-Al2O3 resulted in no obvious difference in activity of IcIM. It was further found that CoMo/gamma-Al2O3 activity initially increased appreciably with Mo content and leveled off at Mo contents above 9 wt.%. The catalyst exhibited a maximum activity at Co/Mo ratio 0.3. The order in which metal species were added had a great influence on the activity of the Co-Mo/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst. Higher activity was obtained when Co was added into Mo/gamma-Al2O3 as opposed to Mo added into Co/gamma-Al2O3.