Synthesis and characterization of W-SBA-15 and W-HMS as supports for HDS

W-modified HMS and SBA-15 mesoporous materials (Si/W molar ratio equal to 40) were synthesized using sodium tungstate as tungsten source. In order to prepare NiW catalysts these mesoporous materials were impregnated with an aqueous solution of nickel salt of 12-tungstophosphoric acid Ni(3/2)PW(12)O(40). The synthesized W-HMS, W-SBA-15 materials and NiW catalysts have been characterized by S(BET), XRD, UV-Vis DRS, FT-IR, TPD of NH(3), (29)Si MAS NMR, SEM and HRTEM. The influence of these particular supports on catalytic activity of NiW catalysts was studied in the reaction of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of thiophene. The results from the FT-IR and UV-Vis DR spectroscopy confirm incorporation of W into the HMS and SBA-15 structures. Additionally 29 Si MAS NMR measurements revealed relatively stronger effect of W ion incorporation in HMS structure on degree of silica cross-linking as compared to the effect of W ion incorporation in SBA-15 structure. The catalytic study showed that both W-HMS and W-SBA-15 materials modified with W are good supports for NiW catalysts in the HDS reaction of thiophene. The catalysts show lower selectivity for butanes than a reference NiW/gamma-Al(2)O(3) catalyst leveling of about 10% for chosen experimental conditions.