Catalytic Hydrotreating with Pillared Synthetic Clays

Abstract

Pillared clays have large micropores that can be exploited for the hydrotreatment of petroleum-or coal-derived materials. Nickel-substituted synthetic mica montmorillonite (NiSMM) was prepared and subsequently pillared by the intercalation of polynuclear hydroxyaluminum and hydroxyzirconium cations. The pillared NiSMMs were then impregnated with molybdenum and sulfided. These pillared clay catalysts have higher acidity and surface area than NiSMM. Bibenzyl and pyrene were hydrotreated with these catalysts to investigate the mechanism(s) of hydrocracking and hydrogenation. The major pathway for pillared clay is a Brønsted acid-catalyzed, but some Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions are also observed. The combined effect of clay acidity and hydrogen activation by nickel and molybdenum sulfides resulted in higher conversions in hydrocracking and hydrogenation tests.