Characterization of high surface area smectite supported cobalt oxides catalysts for hydrodesulfurization by means of TPR, TPS and ESR Original Research Article

Catalysts of cobalt oxide loaded on smectic clays having high surface areas were prepared. Smectic clays used were montmorillonite, saponite, porous saponite, hectorite and stevensite. The catalysts were tested for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activity with thiophene in a pulse flow reactor at different temperatures. Co–porous saponite catalyst prepared by an ion-exchange method in the series including CoMo–Al2O3 shows the highest thiophene HDS activity so far studied. The catalytic properties of the selected catalysts were characterized by temperature-programed-reduction (TPR) and -sulfiding (TPS) together with electron spin resonance (ESR). 203-216