Characterization of commercial hydrocracking catalysts by temperature-programmed methods: TPR/TPS/TPD

Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), temperature-programmed sulfiding (T PS), and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of ammonia were applied to characterize six commercial hydroprocessing catalysts. In addition, their chemical composition, surface area, pore volume, and major crystalline phas e were also determined. Catalysts that are reduced at lower temperature per formed better in terms of hydrodesulfurization of benzothiophene. Hydrocrac king of cumene was studied to evaluate the cracking ability of the catalyst s. The cracking activity of the catalysts was very well correlated with the acidity. TPS patterns of the Mo containing catalysts were similar with eac h other. However, W containing catalyst showed a different sulfiding behavi or. This approach can be utilized for the fast screening of commercial hydr oprocessing catalysts and also for finding the best promising lab prepared catalysts.