Proton magnetic resonance thermal analysis of asphaltene with Co catalysts

The catalytic transformations of petroleum derived asphaltene with Co loaded smectite and CoMO loaded alumina based catalysts at 40°-420°C were studied using proton magnetic resonance thermal analysis. Catalyst performance was evaluated using cumene cracking and thiophene HDS as model reactions in a pulse flow microreactor. The residual hydrogen of only asphaltene was almost unchanged ≤ 200°C, then slightly increased, indicating enhancement in apparent hydrogen content, between 250° and 400°C. Cobalt oxide loaded over porous saponite, and cobalt and molybdenum oxides loaded over alumina, silica alumina, and alumina zeolites were reduced under the experimental conditions used. Conversely, Co-montmorillonite did not show any increase in the M_2T16 value, indicating that the cobalt loaded over montmorillonite is not as easily reduced under the same conditions. Performances of the catalysts, e.g., HDS and hydrocracking enabled the evaluation with the values of M_2T16 at 400°C. Moderate interaction of the metal oxide with the support material caused an intermediate reduction state having high HDS performance.