Ultra-Deep Adsorptive Desulfurization of Light-Irradiated Diesel Fuel over Supported TiO₂-CeO₂ Adsorbents

Journal Article · Thu Feb 13 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie402724q· OSTI ID:1110447

Xiao, Jing; Wang, Xiaoxing; Chen, Yongsheng; Fujii, Mamoru; Song, Chunshan ^[1]

---

1. SCUT-China

This study investigates ultra-deep adsorptive desulfurization (ADS) from light-irradiated diesel fuel over supported TiO₂–CeO₂ adsorbents. A 30-fold higher desulfurization capacity of 95 mL of fuel per gram of adsorbent (mL-F/g-sorb) or 1.143 mg of sulfur per gram of adsorbent (mg-S/g-sorb) was achieved from light-irradiated fuel over the original low-sulfur fuel containing about 15 ppm by weight (ppmw) of sulfur. The sulfur species on spent TiO₂–CeO₂/MCM-48 adsorbent was identified by sulfur K-edge XANES as sulfones and the adsorption selectivity to different compounds tested in a model fuel decreases in the order of indole > dibenzothiophenesulfone → dibenzothiophene > 4-methyldibenzothiophene > benzothiophene > 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene > phenanthrene > 2-methylnaphthalene ~ fluorene > naphthalene. The results suggest that during ADS of light-irradiated fuel, the original sulfur species were chemically transformed to sulfones, resulting in the significant increase in desulfurization capacity. For different supports for TiO2–CeO2 oxides, the ADS capacity increases with a decrease in the point of zero charge (PZC) value; for silica-supported TiO₂–CeO₂ oxides (the lowest PZC value of 2–4) with different surface areas, the ADS capacity increases monotonically with increasing surface area. The supported TiO₂–CeO₂/MCM-48 adsorbent can be regenerated using oxidative air treatment. The present study provides an attractive new path to achieve ultraclean fuel more effectively.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES
• OSTI ID: 1110447
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 52, Issue (45) ; 11, 2013; ISSN 0888-5885
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH