Effective Interactions of Ag Nanoparticles on the Surface of SBA-15 in Performing Deep Desulfurization of Real Diesel Fuel

• Published in: Catalysts Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 593
• Main Authors: Clenildo de Longe, Rafael Viana Sales, Anne Beatriz Figueira Câmara, Heloise Oliveira Medeiros de Araújo Moura, Enrique Rodríguez-Castellón, Sibele Berenice Castellã Pergher, Leila Maria Aguilera Campos, Maritza Montoya Urbina, Luciene Santos de Carvalho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 01-05-2020
• Subjects: Ag nanoparticles; chemisorptive desulfurization; SBA-15; XPS assessment; π-complexation
• ISSN: 2073-4344
• DOI: 10.3390/catal10050593

SBA-15 materials as-synthesized and impregnated with Ag nanoparticles were applied to perform adsorptive desulfurization of real diesel fuel. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (HAADF-STEM-EDX and FESEM-EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed that there is uniform distribution of Ag nanodomains on the surface and in the channels of a 2AgSBA-15 (2% Ag) sample. The interaction between sulfur compounds and adsorbent mainly occurred via π-complexation mechanisms, as observed via XPS and equilibrium data. The kinetic results for 2AgSBA-15 were better fitted to the pseudo-second-order model (R2 > 0.9999), indicating that the determining step of the adsorptive process is chemisorption, whereas the equilibrium results were better fitted to the Langmuir model (R2 > 0.9994), thus indicating that the adsorption occurs on the adsorbent surface monolayer with significant adsorption capacity (qm = 20.30 mgS/g), approximately two times greater than that observed for pure SBA-15. The mean desulfurization reached by the adsorbents was up to 86.8% for six recycling steps.