CHARACTERISTICS OF BIMETALLIC COBALT AND MOLYBDENUM CATALYSTS SUPPORTED ON ACTIVATED CARBON OR ALUMINA IN HYDRODESULFURIZATION

A series of bimetallic cobalt (Co) and molybdenum (Mo) catalysts suppo rted on activated carbon or alumina were prepared, and their activitie s in thiophene hydrodesulfurization and ethylene hydrogenation were co mpared. The nitric oxide (NO) chemisorption and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) were used to characterize the nature of the synergis tic active sites. Carbon supported catalysts also demonstrated the syn ergism in activity, which is well known for alumina supported catalyst s. The specific activity and the adsorption stoichiometry of each site were interpreted from NO chemisorption. The possibility of NO as a pr obe molecule for sulfide catalysts was provided by the present work.