Abstract
Highly mesoporous SiO2 encapsulated NixPy crystals, where (x, y) = (5, 4), (2, 1), and (12, 5) were successfully synthesized by adopting thermolytic method using oleylamine (OAm), trioctylphosphine (TOP) and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO). The Ni5P4@SiO2 system shows the highest reported activity for the selective hydrogenation of SO2 towards H2S at 320 oC (96 % conversion of SO2 and 99 % selectivity to H2S) which was superior to the activity of the commercial CoMoS@Al2O3 catalyst (64 % conversion of SO2 and 71 % selectivity to H2S at 320 oC). The morphology of the Ni5P4 crystal was finely tuned via adjustment of the synthesis parameters receiving a wide spectrum of morphologies (hollowed, macroporous-network and SiO2 confined ultra-fine clusters). Intrinsic characteristics of the materials were studied using XRD, HRTEM/STEM-HAADF, EDX, BET, H2-TPR, XPS, and experimental and calculated 31P MAS ssNMR towards establishing the structure-performance correlation for the reaction of interest. Characterization of the catalysts after the SO2 hydrogenation reaction proved the preservation of the morphology, crystallinity and Ni/P ratio for all the catalysts.