Enhanced adsorption desulfurization performance over hierarchically structured zeolite Y

Hierarchically structured zeolite Y (meso-Y) was successfully achieved by treating parent NaY (Si/Al=2.6) by sequential dealumination-desilication. The obtained sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 sorption, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, pyridine-Fourier transform infrared and 29Si Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The mesopore surface area up to 110 m2 g−1 was obtained for meso-Y when the parent zeolite Y was subjected to sequential treatment by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and NaOH, with the preserving of the intrinsic crystallinity. The adsorption desulfurization results showed that hierarchically structured CeY (meso-CeY) exhibited much higher desulfurization performance than microporous CeY in the presence of large amount of toluene or cyclohexene, even in fluid catalytic cracking gasoline. FTIR studies and structure characterization indicate that the mesopore of the adsorbent is benefit to the selective adsorption desulfurization, possibly because the enlarged pore size weakens the micropore-filling effect of the microporous adsorbent, and thus depresses the non-selective adsorption of toluene and cyclohexene. •Meso-CeY displayed better sulfur removal than micro-CeY for larger size molecules.•Meso-CeY showed higher sulfur capacity than micro-CeY in the presence of competitors.•The improved desulfurization performance is mainly due to the developed mesoporosity.