Facile Preparation of Ni2P with a Sulfur‐Containing Surface Layer by Low‐Temperature Reduction of Ni2P2S6 |
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| Authors: | Song Tian Dr Xiang Li Prof Dr Anjie Wang Prof Dr Roel Prins Yongying Chen Prof Yongkang Hu |
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| Affiliation: | 1. State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P.R. China;2. Institut für Chemie- und Bio-Ingenieurwissenschaften, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | Preparation of Ni2P by temperature‐programmed reduction (TPR) of a phosphate precursor is challenging because the P?O bond is strong. An alternative approach to synthesizing Ni2P, by reduction of nickel hexathiodiphosphate (Ni2P2S6), is presented. Conversion of Ni2P2S6 into Ni2P occurs at 200–220 °C, a temperature much lower than that required by the conventional TPR method (typically 500 °C). A sulfur‐containing layer with a thickness of about 4.7 nm, composed of tiny crystallites, was observed at the surface of the obtained Ni2P catalyst (Ni2P?S). This is a direct observation of the sulfur‐containing layer of Ni2P, or the so‐called nickel phosphosulfide phase. Both the hydrodesulfurization activity and the selective hydrogenation performance of Ni2P‐S were superior to that of the catalyst prepared by the TPR method, suggesting a positive role of sulfur on the surface of Ni2P‐S. These features render Ni2P‐S a legitimate alternative non‐precious metal catalyst for hydrogenation reactions. |
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| Keywords: | hydrodesulfurization nickel phosphides selective hydrogenation sulfur-containing layer |
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