Preparation of Ni2P/Al2O3 by temperature-programmed reduction of a phosphate precursor with a low P/Ni ratio

• Pentahedrally coordinated Al3+ (Al(P)) has low reactivity with phosphorus oxide.
• Preparation of two Al(P)-rich Al2O3 supports (Al(P)–Al2O3).
• The Al(P)–Al2O3 supported Ni2P catalysts were prepared at a P/Ni molar ratio of 1.2.
• Ni2P/Al(P)–Al2O3 and Ni2P/SiO2 showed a similar hydrodesulfurization performance.

Ni2P that was highly active in the hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene was obtained by reduction of a phosphate precursor with a P/Ni molar ratio as low as 1.2 over cerium oxide-modified Al2O3 (Ce–Al2O3) and macromesoporous Al2O3 (M-Al2O3). 27Al MAS NMR revealed that this is likely due to the low reactivity of pentahedrally coordinated Al3+ (Al(P)) with phosphorus oxide. Because the major Al species in Ce–Al2O3 and M-Al2O3 is Al(P), less phosphorus is consumed by the Al2O3 support upon calcination and thus more phosphorus is available for the formation of Ni2P during the reduction stage.

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