Synthesis, Characteristics, and Performance of Nanostructured
Catalyst
Ki-Hyouk Choi*, Mohammad F. Aljishi, and Joo Hyeong Lee
R&D Center, Saudi Aramco
PO Box 62, Dhahran 31311, SAUDI ARABIA
* Kihyouk.choi@aramco.com
ABSTRACT
This presentation is to introduce a synthesis method to produce a nanostructured catalyst
along with a description of its characteristics and performance in certain reactions,
particularly hydrodesulfurization. Advanced characterization tools such as field emission
electron microscope have revealed detailed morphology and properties of active sites. Also,
surface deposition techniques, which are generally used for semiconductor industry, make it
possible to prepare very well defined active species on model support material. Based on
such new findings, various efforts have been made to synthesize a practical catalyst having
well defined characteristics which are designed in nano-scale. Through fine tuning of active
species in nano-scale, a preferred reaction pathway can be selected or augmented among
competing reaction pathways, which improves activity and selectivity of catalyst. Also,
nanostructured catalyst can be building blocks for new type of composite catalyst having
wide range of applications. In spite of many advantages of nanostructured catalyst, practical
application is deterred by inefficient synthesis methods, most of which are based on
laboratory-scale, complex, and multi-step inorganic chemistry. This presentation will
propose practical methods to prepare a nanostructured catalyst and will describe its
performance in hydrotreatment along with other applications.