Bulk hydrotreating MonW12-nS2 catalysts based on SiMonW12-n heteropolyacids prepared by alumina elimination method

[Display omitted] •MonW12-nS2 catalysts were synthesized by HF etching of alumina supported catalysts.•HF etching and resulfidation leads to enlargement of the active phase particles.•Mo-W interactions were detected in EXAFS and ToF-SIMS of MonW12-nS2 catalysts.•Mo3W9S2 has the highest activity in DBT HDS and naphthalene HYD.•SiMo3W9HPA as precursor is more preferable for the formation of a mixed MoWS2. A series of unsupported mono- and bimetallic MonW12-nS2 catalysts were synthesized by alumina elimination from supported MonW12-nS2/Al2O3 samples using acid etching. Alumina supported catalysts have been in turn prepared by using monometallic H4SiMo12O40 and H4SiW12O40 heteropolyacids (HPAs), their mixture with Mo/W atomic ratio equal to 1/11 and 3/9, and mixed bimetallic H4SiMo1W11O40 and H4SiMo3W9O40 HPAs. All catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their performance were evaluated in simultaneous hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and hydrogenation (HYD) of naphthalene. The etching process led to a successful removal of all the support and of the partially sulfided species, with sulfidation degrees of both Mo and W above 90 % on the final bulk solids. The active phase also underwent a rearrangement, as higher average length and stacking were measured on the bulk catalysts than on the original supported ones. Mixed MoWS2 phase was evidenced in all solids, prepared from mixed HPAs (MonW12-nS2) or from the mixture of monometallic HPAs (RefMonW12-nS2), by EXAFS and ToF-SIMS, with however a larger quantity on the MoW solids. It seems that the mixed MoWS2 phase observed on the supported MoW catalysts is maintained through the etching process, while on RefMonW12-nS2 the mixed phase, observed in a much lesser extent in the corresponding supported catalyst, could result from the aggregation of the monometallic slabs. MonW12-nS2 catalysts were found more effective than the monometallic catalysts and than the corresponding RefMonW12-nS2, in both dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization and naphthalene hydrogenation, which was related to the presence of the mixed phase maintained through the etching of the support.