Desulfurization of hydrocarbon feeds by II-complexation adsorption: characterization of copper halides impregnated on mesoporous and macroporous aluminas

Abstract

П-complexation sorbents have been developed for adsorptive desulfurization during the last decade. They were used to selectively remove organosulfur molecules from hydrocarbon feeds like diesel and gasoline. The Cu+ impregnated on mesoporous and macro porous aluminas adsorbents were studied. This research aimed to characterize these adsorbents with various methods, such as BET surface area analysis, particle density, structural density and pore volume analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Temperature-Programmed Reduction (TPR), Temperature-Programmed Desorption (TPD). To determine if there is a good adsorptive desulfurization, Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) was used to investigate. For IGC theory, there are stationary phase (non-impregnated alumina, AI2O3, and impregnated alumina, Cu/AI2O3) and mobile phase (He). Normal alkanes (C6-C10) were used as probe molecules (as a reference), toluene and thiophene were used as polar probe molecules. The results expressed the distinction of surface properties between AI2O3 and Cu/AI2O3 by the specific interaction (Isp). The Isp of toluene on m-Al2O3 at 200, 225 and 250 ℃ were 34.3. 32.9 and 31.8 mJ/m2, respectively, and on 30% Cu/m-Al2O3 they were 29.2, 27.1 and 26.8 mJ/m2, respectively; and the Isp of thiophene on m-Al2O3 were 61.8, 58.8 and 56.3 mJ/m2, respectively and on 30% Cu/m-Al2O3 were 57.1, 56.1 and 56.0 mJ/m2, respectively. Cu/m-Al2O3 has shown to be better in selective removal of organosulfur molecules than Al2O3.