Behavior of NiMo/SBA-15 catalysts prepared with citric acid in simultaneous hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene

NiMo catalyst supported on SBA-15 were prepared from acidic (pH=1) and basic (pH=9) impregnation solutions containing citric acid (CA). Their activity and selectivity were evaluated in simultaneous hydrodesulfurization of DBT and 4,6-DMDBT. •Catalysts for deep hydrodesulfurization of diesel fraction.•Well-dispersed sulfided NiMo catalysts supported on SBA-15 silica.•NiMo catalysts prepared from acid and basic impregnation solutions with citric acid.•Highly active NiMo/SBA-15 catalysts for simultaneous HDS of DBT and 4,6-dimethyl-DBT.•Thermal treatment and solution pH affect selectivity of the NiMoCA/SBA-15 catalysts. In the present work, NiMo catalysts supported on SBA-15 were prepared using citric acid (CA) during the synthesis. The objective of this work was to realize a comparative study of NiMoCA/SBA-15 catalysts prepared under different conditions in order to get a deeper insight into the effect of the thermal treatment and pH of the impregnation solution used on the catalytic behavior in deep hydrodesulfurization (HDS). Catalysts were prepared by simultaneous impregnation of Ni and Mo species and CA, using impregnation solutions of acidic or basic pH values (pH=1 or 9, respectively). The speciation diagrams of Ni(II) and Mo(VI) species in aqueous solution as a function of pH were established. Nicit24- complex was formed in aqueous solution at pH=9. After the impregnation, NiMoCA/SBA-15 catalysts were dried at 100°C and some of them were calcined at 500°C in air atmosphere. Prepared catalysts were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG), nitrogen physisorption, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and tested in simultaneous HDS of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) in a batch reactor at 300°C for 8h. XRD characterization showed that Ni and Mo oxide species were well dispersed in all catalysts prepared with CA. In contrast, reference NiMo/SBA-15 catalysts prepared by co-impregnation of Ni and Mo species, without the addition of CA, showed signals of crystalline phases: (NH4)4[Ni(OH)6Mo6O18] 4H2O after drying at 100°C and NiMoO4 after calcination at 500°C. HDS of DBT showed differences in activity and selectivity of the catalysts depending on the pH of the impregnation solutions and the temperature at which the catalysts were treated: NiMoCA/SBA-15 catalysts p