Mesoporous (ZrO2–TiO2)/Al2O3 ternary carriers as hydrodesulfurization catalysts support

Ternary systems at various compositions were synthesized by coprecipitating Zr and Ti (to get a ZrO2–TiO2 40–60 mol%) chlorides in aqueous basic media (provided by urea thermal decomposition) over an alumina substrate. Materials characterization included N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, high-resolution electron microscopy and Raman and UV–vis spectroscopies. High interaction among components was clearly evidenced by various techniques. Textural properties of ternary oxides could be tuned depending on composition of formulations. Mixed oxides with 10 or 20 mol% of ZrO2–TiO2 (at 40–60% mol, in turn) had the most suitable combination of textural properties (surface area, average pore diameter and pore volume) for the intended application (support of catalyst for hydrodesulfurization de oil-derived middle distillates). The suitability of those ternary supports was demonstrated in the dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization where the corresponding supported MoS2 catalysts (at 2.8 atom Mo nm−2) were much more active (on a per mass of catalyst basis) than when impregnated over either alumina or zirconia–titania oxides.