Morphology study of nickel and vanadium in asphaltenes via hydropyrolysis

The morphology of nickel and vanadium compounds in the asphaltenes were investigated via hydropyrolysis with the help of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), high-temperature gas chromatography atomic emission detection (HT GC-AED), and positive-ion electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (+ESI FT-ICR MS). The results showed that the toluene soluble yields of products decreased from 64% to 19% as the hydropyrolysis temperature increased from 330 to 410 ℃, while the abundance of nickel and vanadium compounds detected by GC-AED increased significantly. The molecular composition distribution of nickel and vanadyl porphyrins showed rhythmic changes with different temperatures in the hydropyrolysis of asphaltenes.