Preparation of Fe2P and FeP catalysts for the hydrotreating reactions

Abstract Highly loaded iron phosphides were prepared by the phosphidation of unsupported Fe, 80%Fe/C and 60%Fe/C with Fe metal particle sizes of 38, 35 and 29 nm, respectively, using triphenylphosphine in liquid phase. The large Fe particles such as those in the unsupported sample could not be phosphided completely, while the smaller ones in the 60%Fe/C could be completely phosphided into Fe 2 P at 543 K for 18 h and FeP at 593 K for 33 h, respectively. The FeP/C was found to be significantly more stable and thus generally more active than the Fe 2 P/C for the hydrotreating reactions.