APPLICATION OF NEW ZRO2-SBA-15 MATERIALS AS CATALYTIC SUPPORTS: STUDY OF INTRINSIC ACTIVITY OF MO CATALYSTS IN DEEP HDS

ZrO2-SBA-15 materials with different ZrO2 loadings (12.5, 25, 37.5, and 50 wt.%) were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of SBA-15 silica with zirconium (IV) n-propoxide solution and characterized by N2 physisorption, IEP, and XRD. It was found that the dispersion of zirconia in ZrO2-SBA-15 samples decreased with ZrO2 loading. Nevertheless, about 70–90% of the available support surface was covered with deposited ZrO2 species leading to high zirconia surface, significantly higher than areas of the traditional bulk ZrO2 supports. ZrO2-SBA-15 materials were used to prepare Mo catalysts, which were characterized (N2 physisorption, XRD, TPR, and HRTEM) and tested in 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS). Characteristics of Mo species deposited on ZrO2-SBA-15 materials with 25–50 wt.% of ZrO2 and their intrinsic HDS activities were found to be similar to those of the Mo catalyst supported on pure ZrO2. Thus, it is shown for the first time that prepared ZrO2-SBA-15 materials combine chemical properties of zirconia, attractive for many catalytic applications, with excellent textural characteristics of SBA-15.