Enhancing the hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene through the use of mixed MoWS2 phase evidenced by HAADF

MoW alumina supported hydrotreating (HDT) catalysts were synthesized by using mixed SiMonW12-n heteropolyacids (HPAs) and also from a mixture of SiMo12 and SiW12 HPAs with the same Mo/W ratios for reference. Gas phase sulfidation of the catalysts prepared from mixed MoW HPAs led to the formation of a mixed phase evidenced by high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) images, where a core of Mo atoms was surrounded by W atoms. Contrariwise, most of MoS2 or WS2 slabs were observed in the solids prepared from a mixture of the HPAs. This mixed phase induced higher hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of DBT, as well as hydrogenation (HYD) of naphthalene, than it was observed in the case of the reference catalysts. Comparison of activation procedures (gas phase versus liquid phase) confirmed that sulfidation in gas phase led to more efficient catalysts, even in the case of the formation of the mixed slabs. Beneficial effect of the mixed MoWS phase was even more pronounced in the case of the HDS of a more refractory molecule, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT), which was attributed to the more hydrogenating properties of this mixed phase.