Patent ID: 8314047

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a desulfurization material for use in the desulfurization of a process fluid in the presence of hydrogen comprising: (i) forming a hydrotalcite composition comprising zinc and aluminium, and (ii) calcining the composition to form an oxidic material comprising zinc oxide and alumina, in which one or more nickel compounds are included in the hydrotalcite formation step and/or are impregnated onto the hydrotalcite composition and/or the calcined oxidic material, and the resulting composition dried and recovered to produce the desulfurization material with a Ni content in the range 0.2 to 10% by weight, wherein the hydrotalcite composition is prepared by steps comprising: (i) forming a first aqueous solution of Zn and Al salts with a Zn:Al molar ratio in the range 9:1 to 1:1, (ii) mixing the first aqueous solution with a second aqueous solution comprising an alkaline precipitant and a nitrate of sodium or potassium such that a precipitate is formed, wherein the alkaline precipitant is selected from the hydroxide, carbonate or hydrogen carbonate of sodium or potassium, or mixtures of these, and wherein the amount of sodium or potassium nitrate is in the range 0.5 to 2.0 moles per mole of alkaline precipitant, (iii) ageing the precipitate at a temperature in the range 10 to 100° C., and (iv) recovering the aged material.