This Research in Undergraduate Institution project, supported jointly by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry and the Chemical Reaction Processes Program of the Division of Chemical and Transport Systems, focusses on the synthesis and characterization of molybdenum carbide and nitride catalysts for hydrodesulfurization chemistry. Synthesis of these materials and promotion by Co and Ni, evaluation by spectroscopic studies of adsorbed probe molecules such as CO and NO, and determination of HDS activity for a number of model feedstocks forms the range of studies being carried out by Professor Bussell and his students at Western Washington University. This work introduces undergraduates and masters degree students to state of the art research in heterogeneous catalysis, and provides important new information about the fundamentals of hydrodesulfurization catalysis on novel bimetallic systems. The removal of sulfur from crude oil and coal is an important application of heterogeneous catalysis. This hydrodesulfurization chemistry is the focus of this research project. Novel molybdenum carbide and molybdenum nitride catalysts are synthesized and characterized in this work, and the effect of Co and Ni promoters on the activity of these materials is evaluated. This work provides fundamental information for the design and preparation of important new catalytic systems.
