Comparison of vanadium carbide and nitride catalysts for hydrotreating

Vanadium nitride and carbide were synthesized by the temperature-programmed reaction of ammonium vanadate (NH4VO3) with pure NH3 and 20% CH4 in H-2, respectively. Based on the XRD results, the catalysts showed VN and V8C7/V4C3 with an amount of V2O3 in the bulk after nitridation and carburization. The hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation reactions were studied and compared to vanadium sulfide catalyst. These catalysts (VC, VN) are stable under typical hydroprocessing conditions. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.