Synthesis and Investigation of Nickel–Aluminum Catalyst for Treatment of Heavy Oil Residue

The structural characteristics of catalytic systems obtained by modification of activated carbon with Al and Ni metal oxides were studied. The activated carbon was modified by impregnation with metal hydroxides from solutions of salts with Ni+2/Al+3 ratios of 2:1 and 3:1 followed by calcination in a stream of nitrogen and hydrogen until oxide phases were formed. With increase in the ratio of metal cations in the impregnating solution in activated carbon the specific surface area and the number of micropores increase while the total volume and average diameter of the pores decrease. Calcination in a stream of hydrogen at the concluding stage of modification of the activated carbon leads to decrease of the pore space and decrease of the specific surface area of the catalytic system. The Ni/Al (2:1) catalytic systems obtained in nitrogen and hydrogen have the optimum combination of specific surface values and maximum average pore diameters for the treatment of heavy oil residue.