Synthesis of mesoporous γ-Al2O3 by using cellulose nanofiber as template for hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene

Mesoporous γ-Al2O3 materials and corresponding catalysts with different channel properties were successfully synthesised by using cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as template. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) were promoted dramatically with the CNF addition, the kHDS and TOF of all the as-synthesised γ-Al2O3 supported NiMo catalysts with CNF were better than that of NiMo/MA-0 without CNF. The results exhibit that CNF which is a green, low-cost, and renewable template agent may has a potential industrial prospect in the synthesizing of mesoporous Al2O3 for the HDS procession. [Display omitted] •Mesoporous γ-Al2O3 was firstly synthesised by using cellulose nanofiber as template.•The pore structures and MoS2 stacking degree were determined by CNF amount.•Dispersion of metal species was improved and could be tuned by the addition of CNF.•NiMo/MA-7 catalyst displayed the highest DBT conversion at all weight hourly space velocities.•The effects of CNF on the characteristics and activities of catalysts were deeply studied. Mesoporous γ-Al2O3 materials with different channel properties were successfully synthesised by using cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as template. The corresponding NiMo catalysts were prepared and further evaluated in the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The as-synthesised γ-Al2O3 supports and NiMo catalysts were characterized by XRD, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, H2-TPR, Raman, SEM, TEM, XPS and HRTEM techniques. The NiMo/MA-7 catalyst displayed the highest DBT conversion at all liquid hourly space velocities (LHSVs). At high LHSV of 150 h−1, DBT HDS efficiency over NiMo/MA-7 (∼30%) is about six times than that of the comparison catalyst NiMo/MA-0 (5%) without CNF addition. This outstanding performance attributed to synergistic effects of open mesoporous structure, appropriate dispersion and stacking morphology of active metals, and the suitable MSI (metal-support-interaction). In addition, the products distributions of all catalysts in the HDS of DBT were investigated, and it is found that HYD/DDS ratio was promoted after using CNF as template agent.