This dissertation describes preparation and characterization of Ni₂P catalysts and their application in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN). The work carried out includes synthesis of Ni₂P on different siliceous supports, SiO2 and MCM-41. It also includes characterization of these catalytic materials using X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray absorbance fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. In situ FTIR was employed to study the acidity of Ni₂P/SiO₂ and probe the catalytic sites involved in the HDN of pyridine. Transient and steady-state kinetics of a surface intermediate that is formed upon pyridine adsorption and reaction was studied to elucidate the mechanism of HDN over Ni₂P/SiO₂. Additionally, in situ FTIR and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was utilized to probe the bonding, mechanism and kinetics of thiophene HDS over a novel MCM-41-supported Ni₂P catalyst. The use of these techniques allowed for better understanding of the surface intermediates, mechanisms and the nature of the active sites involved in HDN and HDS. / Ph. D.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/29536 |
| Date | 20 November 2008 |
| Creators | Gott, Travis Matthew |
| Contributors | Chemical Engineering, Oyama, Shigeo Ted, Achenie, Luke E. K., Cox, David F., Hanson, Brian E. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | TGottDissertation_Revised.pdf |
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