Structure of the Active Sites of Co−Mo Hydrodesulfurization Catalysts as Studied by Magnetic Susceptibility Measurement and NO Adsorption

The elucidation of a molecular structure of the active sites (i.e., the Co-Mo-S phase) of Co-Mo hydrodesulfurization catalysts has received extensive attention. In the present study, we unambiguously determined, for the first time, the NO adsorption behavior and magnetic property of the Co-Mo-S phase by preparing unique Co-Mo/Al(2)O(3) catalysts (CVD-Co/MoS(2)/Al(2)O(3)), in which all the Co atoms are present as the Co-Mo-S phase. The catalysts were characterized by NO adsorption (pulse technique and FTIR), Co K-edge XANES, and the magnetic susceptibility and effective magnetic moment of Co. Nitric oxide molecules were adsorbed on 33% of the Co atoms in CVD-Co/MoS(2)/Al(2)O(3) after sulfidation and on only half of the Co atoms even after an H(2)-treatment of the sulfided catalyst at 573-673 K. The Co atoms in CVD-Co/MoS(2)/Al(2)O(3) exclusively exhibited an antiferromagnetic property, indicating that even-numbered Co atoms are interacting with each other in the Co-Mo-S phase. A Co-Mo/Al(2)O(3) catalyst, prepared by a conventional impregnation technique, was composed of the antiferromagnetic Co sulfide species as observed in CVD-Co/MoS(2)/Al(2)O(3) in addition to Co(9)S(8). On the basis of the NO adsorption behavior and magnetic property, it is empirically proposed that the structure of the Co-Mo-S phase is represented as a Co sulfide dinuclear cluster located on the edge of MoS(2) particles. The magnetic property of Co/Al(2)O(3) sulfide catalysts depended on the preparation method.