Effect of cerium content on textural and hydrodesulfurization performance for dibenzothiophene over a bulk Ni2P catalyst

A series of ceria promoted Ni 2 P catalysts were prepared and evaluated in dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization steam. These catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption–desorption, CO chemisorptions, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that the addition of ceria into the bulk Ni 2 P catalyst was conducive to the formation of the Ni 2 P phase and contributed to a higher surface area, leading to a better dispersion and smaller crystallite size of Ni 2 P particles. The Ce x Ni 2 P catalysts showed higher dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization activity than Ni 2 P catalyst and the Ce 0.09 Ni 2 P catalyst showed the highest dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization activity. The Ce 0.09 Ni 2 P catalyst showed a dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization conversion of 94.5% at the reaction conditions of 320°C, 4.0 MPa, a H 2 /oil ratio of 500 (V/V), and a weight hourly space velocity of 8.0 h −1 . The dibenzothiophene was mainly transformed through desulfurization pathway.