Argam Akopyan

Title : Highly efficient aerobic oxidative desulfurization based on tungsten carbide catalyst synthesized by the microwave method

Abstract:

We will present a new type of high-performance catalyst for aerobic oxidation of organosulfur compounds based on tungsten carbide. The synthesis of tungsten carbide was carried out using microwave irradiation, which makes it possible to obtain a catalyst just in 15 minutes. The synthesized catalyst was investigated by complexes of physicochemical methods: XRD, XPS, Raman, SEM, N₂ adsorption/desorption. It was shown that the key role in the activation of oxygen is played by active centers containing tungsten in the transition oxidation state (+4). The influence of the main factors influencing the conversion of dibenzothiophene was investigated. Complete oxidation of DBT can be achieved under relatively mild conditions: 120?, 3 h, 6 bar, 0.5% wt. catalyst. The catalyst retains its activity for at least 6 oxidation/regeneration cycles. The simplicity and speed of the synthesis of the proposed catalyst in combination with its high activity and stability open broad prospects for its further use both in the process of oxidative desulfurization and for other reactions of aerobic oxidation of organic substrates.

Audience ltake-away: 

• The presented catalysts can be used for aerobic oxidation of various classes of compounds
• The presented results can be used by researchers in the field of the oxidative desulfurization process
• The obtained fundamental knowledge can serve as a basis for the design of a wide range of catalysts for aerobic oxidation of various substrates.

Biography:

Dr. Argam Akopyan studied chemistry at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, from which he graduated in 2013. In the same year he entered the postgraduate study at the Faculty of Chemistry of Moscow State University. The thesis on the topic "Oxidative desulfurization of hydrocarbons with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of transition metal salts" was defended in 2016. After defending the thesis, he continued to work on oxidative desulfurization at the Faculty of Chemistry of Moscow State University in the group of Professor A.V. Anisimov. He has published over 50 research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.