The enhanced adsorption of dibenzothiophene onto cerium/nickel-exchanged zeolite Y

The investigations for selective adsorption of dibenzothiophene (DBT) over Ce/Ni-loaded Y zeolites with the emphasis on the effect of Ce as a cocation in the Ni-loaded Y zeolite are carried out in an attempt to produce more effective adsorbents for the desulfurization from transportation fuels. The promotional effects of Ce and coexisting toluene in the model fuel as well as contact time and adsorbent dose on the adsorptive performance were examined. The sulfur uptake strongly depends on the amount of Ce in the zeolite structure. The sorption data is varied according to both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The maximum sorption capacity by theoretically calculation is 22.2 mg/g at 25 °C. The Langmuir constants b = 5.82 mL/mg and the Freundlich constants K = 1.042 L/mg and 1/ n = 0.4 are evaluated. Ni/Ce-loaded Y zeolites (NiCeY) and NiY, CeY, NaY zeolites were used as adsorbents for the removal of DBT from model fuel containing 500 mg/L sulfur with 5 vol% of toluene by a batch method under ambient conditions. NiCeY exhibits higher adsorptive selectivity for DBT than NiY and CeY, indicating that NiCeY is a more effective adsorbent to remove sulfur compounds from transportation fuels.