Abstract

The use of silicon in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts has had an impact on some of the fundamental parameters for the performance of the HDS catalyst, such as dispersion of the active phase, the extent of sulfidation, or the level of promotion. Mesoporous silicates such as MCM-41, SBA-15, the modified surface of γ-alumina with silica, or mixed Al2O3-SiO2 support have showed to affect the metal-support interaction, favoring the so-called type II Co(Ni)–Mo(W)–S structures. The aim of this chapter is to elaborate an analysis on the recent advances in the synthesis design of silicon catalyst support for the hydrodesulfurization of petroleum fractions.

Keywords: type I and type II structures, HDS, metal-support interaction, sulfidation, mesoporous silicates, silica
