Russell R. Chianelli
University of Texas at El Paso, USA
Title: Advances in understanding and commercialization of the transition metal sulfide (TMS) catalytic materials
Biography
Biography: Russell R. Chianelli
Abstract
The recent development of commercial software enables determination or prediction of catalytic activity. This has led to commercialization and potential commercialization of the TMS catalytic materials as described in reference 1. Additionally, we have developed a fundamental understanding of the catalytic materials as described in reference 2. This report will describe how the following interdisciplinary scheme has been applied to the TMS catalytic materials:
Theory <---> Synthesis <---> Characterization <---> Application
Shell Oil after WWII commercialized unsupported TMS catalytic materials but these were soon replaced for commercial reasons with the currently popular Al203 supported catalysts. In the 1970’s researchers concluded, incorrectly, that the Al203 was fundamentally involved in the Promotion Effect. This effect today is understood in detail as the sharing of non-bonding d electrons in clusters that mimic noble metal for example Co9S8 + MoS2. This result we call Goldilocks, which will be discussed during the report.
The model described in reference 2 is a detailed realization of the Contact Synergy described in reference 1. MoS2 interfaces with Co9S8 with a lattice fit at 1 1 1 crystal face. This creates at the interfaces a cubic lattice with the appropriate Co/Mo electron transfer allowing observed promotion. We will now discuss in detail the structure and meaning of Contact Synergy. Several papers are in preparation on this subject and will be discussed in detail.
Sulphide (TMS) Catalysts, HydroDeSulfurization (HDS), Promotion and Contact Synergy.