Design of improved CoMo hydrotreating catalyst via engineering of carbon nanotubes@alumina composite support

An efficient strategy for the synthesis of nanostructured composite supports for CoMoS hydrotreating catalysts has been proposed. The synthesis concept is based on the growth of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on alumina crystallites modified with Fe2Co nanoparticles. The morphology and structural characteristics of the obtained MWCNT@Al2O3 supports were tuned by varying Fe2Co content. A comprehensive analysis using advanced techniques revealed the optimal content and structural characteristics of MWCNTs in composite supports that positively affect the morphology of the sulfide component. It has been established that for the best CoMoS/MWCNT@Al2O3 catalyst, which is characterized by the highest dispersion of sulfide component and CoMoS phase content, the activity in dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization and quinoline hydro-denitrogenation significantly exceeds the activity of CoMoS/Al2O3 and CoMoS/MWCNT catalysts. The proposed approach can be applied to improve the activity of both conventionally used hydrotreating catalysts and catalysts for other practically important processes by carefully tuning metal-support interaction.