Short communicationSynthesis of bifunctional highly-loaded NiMoW catalysts and their catalytic performance of 4,6-DMDBT HDS

•A bifunctional highly-loaded NiMoW catalyst was prepared from a precipitate.•The morphology of MoS2/WS2 slabs were improved.•The incorporation of USY zeolite facilitated the demethylation and cracking reaction.•The bifunctional catalysts showed higher 4,6-DMDBT HDS activity.

A bifunctional highly-loaded NiMoW catalyst was prepared via hydrothermal reaction method with the incorporation of USY zeolite during synthetic process of precursor. The obtained samples were characterized by N2 physisorption, XRD, Py-FTIR, and HRTEM. Combined with 4,6-DMDBT HDS activity results, Brønsted acid sites have been successfully generated in catalysts, and facilitated the demethylation and cracking reaction, as well as the DDS activity. The high activity of thus-achieved bifunctional catalysts can be attributed to the appropriate acid amount and the synergistic effect of Lewis and Brønsted acid sites combining with desirable textural properties and suitable stacking morphology of MoS2/WS2 slabs.

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