Metal phosphide nanoparticles (Ni2P, Pd5P2) encapsulated in mesoporous silica have been prepared and their dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS) properties investigated.  The metal phosphide nanoparticles were prepared by solution-phase arrested-precipitation reactions that permit the synthesis of narrow polydispersity nanoparticles of controlled size.  Encapsulation of the metal phosphide nanoparticles in mesoporous silica shells inhibits sintering, enabling the investigation of the microstructural properties of metal phosphides for the HDS reaction under the harsh reaction conditions (3 MPa, 548-673 K) relevant to industrial hydrotreating processes.  A Ni2P@mSiO2 nanocatalyst (11.2 nm Ni2P particles) was less active (on a mass basis) than a conventionally prepared Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst having an average crystallite size of ~ 11 nm, but the two catalysts had similar turnover frequencies when sites were titrated by low temperature oxygen chemisorption.  The effect of metal phosphide particle size on HDS activity and selectivity has been investigated and the results of these experiments will be discussed.

Hydrodesulfurization properties of core-shell metal phosphide nanoparticle catalysts

245th National Meeting (2013)

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