Full Length ArticleDevelopment of new hydrodesulfurization NiMo catalysts supported on Al2O3-TiSBA-15 hybrid materials

•Hybrid Al2O3-TiSBA-15 supports (ATS(x), x = 20, 40, 60 wt.% of TiSBA-15) were prepared.•NiMo/ATS(x) catalysts were tested in dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyl-DBT HDS.•Addition of TiSBA-15 to γ-Al2O3 support improved HDS performance of NiMo catalysts.•NiMo/ATS(20) catalyst was ∼40% more active in HDS of 4,6-DMDBT than NiMo/γ-Al2O3.

In the present work, a series of NiMo catalysts supported on hybrid materials consisting of mesoporous TiSBA-15 and conventional γ-alumina were prepared. Three hybrid supports were synthesized with 20, 40 and 60 wt.% of TiSBA-15 and compared to pure γ-Al2O3 and TiSBA-15 counterparts. NiMo catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness co-impregnation of aqueous solutions of ammonium heptamolybdate and nickel nitrate precursors. Supports and catalysts were characterized by N2 physisorption, XRD, UV-vis DRS, temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and ammonia TPD. The sulfided NiMo catalysts were characterized by HRTEM and evaluated in the simultaneous hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT). All NiMo catalysts supported on hybrid materials showed better dispersion of the catalytically active MoS2 phase than the reference catalyst supported on the conventional γ-alumina material. Their activity was similar to that of the NiMo/γ-Al2O3 catalyst in HDS of DBT, but substantially higher in HDS of 4,6-DMDBT.