THE PERFORMANCE OF A RU-MO SULFIDE CATALYST FOR H2S DECOMPOSITION

A gamma-alumina-supported bimetallic Ru-Mo sulfide catalyst prepared v ia precipitation from homogeneous solution (PFHS) has been used to eff ect the abstraction of H-2 from H2S. The decomposition reaction was al so carried out over Al2O3-supported RuS2 and MoS2 catalysts synthesize d via PFHS. The performance of bimetallic system exceeded (ca. 40%) th e simple additive activities of the constituent monometallic sulfide c atalysts and about 2-3 times the individual activities of the monometa llic sulfide samples, suggesting chemical synergism between Ru and Mo in the Ru-Mo catalyst. In particular, comparison with other catalysts in the literature showed that specimens prepared via PFHS exhibited be tter activities than those from direct sulfidation of the metal oxide. Kinetic study over the Ru-Mo bimetallic sulfide catalyst in a quartz micro-reactor at 110 kPa and between 783-973 K revealed a Ist order de pendency on H2S partial pressure and an activation energy of about 92 kJ mol(-1). The irreversible adsorption of H2S on a coordinatively uns aturated site is thought to be the rate-limiting step.