X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy surface quantification of sulfided CoMoP catalysts. Relation between activity and promoted sites. Part II: Influence of the sulfidation temperature

Abstract

The effect of the sulfidation temperature on the nature and amount of active phases of CoMoP-type hydrodesulfurization catalysts was investigated. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy quantification approach was developed, allowing us to show a direct relation between the amount of mixed CoMoS active phase as determined by XPS and the catalytic activity. XPS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and toluene-hydrogenation activity correlations also showed that the sulfidation temperatures should range between 350 and 500°C. Under these conditions the catalysts are mainly composed of MoS2 and CoMoS active phases and present a maximum of activity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.