Superior stability and activity of a PbMoO4/BiOBr nanocomposite for enhanced catalytic oxidative desulfurization of actual fuel

Novel PbMoO4/BiOBr nanocomposites were fabricated via a facile ultrasound-assisted impregnation method. The fabricated nanocomposites were extensively investigated using various techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, BET surface area, Raman, XPS, SEM, and TGA. The catalytic capability of the synthesized materials was investigated for the catalytic oxidative desulfurization (CODS) of actual fuel using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid as an oxidizing agent and acetonitrile as extracting solvent. Reaction time, catalyst dose, temperature, and oxidant and reactant volume were evaluated in detail. The PbMoO4/BiOBr nanocomposite exhibits satisfying catalytic efficiency (98.3%), achieving the goal of ultra-low sulfur content diesel. The results emphasize the newly prepared composite as a real contender at the industrial level under mild conditions. The composite revealed superior stability for four successive reuses without a notable decrease in catalytic performance. The suggested CODS mechanism was investigated.