Silica–alumina impregnated with cerium, nickel, and molybdenum oxides for adsorption of sulfur and nitrogen compounds from diesel

• Published in: Materials letters 2012-09, Vol.83, p.158-160
• Main Authors: Santos, Aaron L., Reis, Rodrigo A., Rossa, Vinicius, Reis, Marcelo M., Costa, André L.H., Veloso, Cláudia O., Henriques, Cristiane A., Zotin, Fátima M.Z., Paredes, Márcio L.L., Silveira, Erika B., Chiaro, Sandra S.X.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adsorbents; Adsorption; cerium; Diesel; Metal oxides; molybdenum; nickel; nitrogen; nitrogen compounds; oxides; Silica–alumina; sulfur; Sulfur and nitrogen removal
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2012.06.011

In this work, samples of commercial silica–alumina in its calcined form and impregnated with cerium, nickel, and molybdenum oxides were evaluated as adsorbent for the removal of sulfur and nitrogen compounds from a hydrotreated Brazilian diesel at 313K. It was observed that the incorporation of metal oxides led to an increase of the adsorptive capacities per specific area. The increase in nitrogen and sulfur uptake capacity was tentatively associated to acidic properties. However, the impregnation process also brought a reduction of the adsorbent surface. As a consequence, an increase of the total adsorption capacity in a mass basis was not observed. These results suggest that the impregnation process using the proposed oxides is a possible alternative, if the diminishing of the adsorbent surface will be controlled. ► Silica–alumina impregnated by Ce, Ni and Mo oxides as adsorbent. ► Adsorbents for diesel desulfurization and denitrogenation. ► Impregnation with molybdenum species increases the amount of Brönsted acid sites. ► Metal oxides provided an increase of the adsorption capacity per surface area. ► Brönsted acid sites seem to play an important contribution on the adsorption.