LAUSR

The novel γ-Al2O3 synthesis by mechanochemical activation of aluminum nitrate hydrate was applied to prepare hydrodesulfurization (HDS) NiMo catalysts. Impregnation techniques using the complex made by dissolution of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), ammonium heptamolybdate and nickel nitrate and the Anderson-type heteropolyoxymolybdate ((NH4)4Ni(OH)6Mo6O18) complex were compared with conventional impregnation using subsequent deposition of ammonium heptamolybdate (first) and nickel nitrate (second) with calcination in between. Properties of the support and HDS catalysts were studied by N2 physisorption, Raman spectroscopy, H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), O2 chemisorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both catalysts prepared from the complexes were at least 1.5-fold more active in the HDS reaction of 1-benzothiophene (360 °C and 1.6 MPa) than the catalyst prepared conventionally. The most promising preparation method for gaining highly active HDS catalyst on the studied γ-Al2O3 was the deposition of (NH4)4Ni(OH)6Mo6O18. This catalyst exhibited about 1.9 and 1.4 higher HDS activity in comparison to the conventionally prepared NiMo and reference commercial NiMo counterparts, respectively.