Mesoporous carbon supported nickel phosphide catalysts prepared by solid phase reaction

The solid phase reaction between nickel cations and hypophosphites might occur at 473 K in the pores of mesoporous carbon (MC), resulting in the highly dispersed Ni2P on the surface of the MC support. The Ni2P/MC catalysts thus prepared exhibit higher activities for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and the hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of quinoline than the Ni2P/SiO2 catalysts prepared by the reduction of phosphate at high temperatures.