Selective adsorption of organic sulfur-containing compounds from diesel fuel using type-Y zeolite and [gamma]-aluminum oxide

Samples based on type-Y zeolite and aluminum oxide (γ-Al^sub 2^O^sub 3^) with immobilized Cu(I) ions used as adsorbents of molecules of thiophene derivatives during the desulfurization of diesel fuel were investigated. An analysis of diesel fuel after the desulfurization process showed that a decrease in sulfur content caused by contacting adsorbents amounts to 40-80%. Porous structure parameters of the adsorbents before and after contacting diesel fuel were determined using adsorption isotherms of nitrogen vapor at 77K. Desulfurization processes are shown to influence the porous adsorbent structure; therefore, the specific surface and pore size decrease. According to X-ray diffraction, the data on changing the porous adsorbent structure in the desulfurization process are stipulated by the deposition of sulfur and carbon. It was ascertained that the samples based on HY/Cu(I) zeolite better adsorb sulfur-containing compounds than γ-Al^sub 2^O^sub 3^/Cu(I) do. An analysis of the IR spectra of adsorbent samples after desulfurization indicates the possibility of chemisorbing aromatic components of diesel fuel, most notably sulfur-containing compounds on the surfaces of all investigated samples with the simultaneous transformation of these compounds mainly into aliphatic-type structures.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]