Support effect with rhenium sulfide catalysts

The well known support effect observed for molybdenum sulfide has been studied with rhenium sulfide, which was reported to be a very active hydrotreating catalyst. Solids containing from 0.8 to 4 rhenium atoms per nm2 have been prepared on titania, zirconia and γ-alumina supports and sulfided using N2-H2S (15%) or H2-H2S (15%) mixtures. The catalytic activity in thiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS) has been evaluated and additional information about the structure over the different supports has been obtained by XPS and HRTEM.