XAS study of Ni2P/MCM-41 passivated by O2/He and H2S/H2

•XAS study of Ni2P/MCM-41 passivated by H2S/H2 (Ni2P-S) and O2/He (Ni2P-O).•A significant decrease in the Ni–P coordination number was observed for Ni2P-O.•H2S mainly reacted with Ni–Ni site but leaving the Ni–P site unaffected.•Ni in Ni2P-S was more electron-deficient than that in Ni2P-O.

Ni2P/MCM-41 with a stoichiometric Ni/P ratio prepared using a H2 plasma reduction method was passivated either by 10.0 vol.% H2S/H2 (Ni2P-S) or 1.0 vol.% O2/He (Ni2P-O). The XAS characterization demonstrated that the NiP bond of Ni2P was more sensitive to O2 than the NiNi bond while H2S mainly reacted with NiNi site. Moreover, Ni species in Ni2P-S was more electron-deficient. The different hydrodesulfurization performances of Ni2P-S and Ni2P-O were discussed by considering their different structure and electronic properties as well as the formation of a covalent nickel phosphosulfide phase.

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