CHARACTERIZATION OF ALUMINA PREPARED BY SOL-GEL METHODS AND ITS APPLICATION TO MOO3-COO-AL2O3 CATALYST

Alumina powder was prepared by hydrolysis of aluminum isopropoxide (AIP) by two different methods: (1) AIP was poured directly into hot water to form fibrillar sols of aluminum hydroxide; (2) AIP was dissolved in butanol and then hydrolyzed with a small amount of water. The physical properties of these two alumina powders were compared. Alumina-supported molybdenum-cobalt catalysts were prepared by these two different hydrolysis methods and the catalytic activities for the desulfurization of thiophene were studied and discussed in terms of the surface concentrations of Mo and Co in the catalyst particles. © 1990.