Controllable Synthesis of Spherical Al-SBA-16 Mesoporous Materials with Different Crystal Sizes and Its High Isomerization Performance for Hydrodesulfurization of Dibenzothiophene and 4,6-Dimethyldibenzothiophene

Series Al-SBA-16 supports with different crystal sizes were fabricated by adding different inorganic salts to the synthesis system and used as the catalyst support for dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) hydrodesulfurization (HDS). The supports and the corresponding catalysts were well analyzed in depth to investigate their structure–property relationship. NiMo/AS-Mn catalyst with the smallest crystal sizes, the largest BET surface areas, and the highest total acid and Brönsted acid content displayed the highest k HDS of 4,6-DMDBT and DBT. HYD was the preferential route for the DBT HDS over NiMo/AS-Mn, while ISO was the preferential pathway for 4,6-DMDBT HDS. Moreover, the DBT and 4,6-DMDBT HDS reaction networks over NiMo/AS-Mn were proposed.