Effective interactions of ag nanoparticles on the surface of SBA‐15 in performing deep desulfurization of real diesel fuel

Abstract

SBA‐15 materials as‐synthesized and impregnated with Ag nanoparticles were applied to perform adsorptive desulfurization of real diesel fuel. High‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (HAADF‐STEM‐EDX and FESEM‐EDX) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed that there is uniform distribution of Ag nanodomains on the surface and in the channels of a 2AgSBA‐15 (2% Ag) sample. The interaction between sulfur compounds and adsorbent mainly occurred via π‐complexation mechanisms, as observed via XPS and equilibrium data. The kinetic results for 2AgSBA‐15 were better fitted to the pseudo‐second‐order model (R2 > 0.9999), indicating that the determining step of the adsorptive process is chemisorption, whereas the equilibrium results were better fitted to the Langmuir model (R2 > 0.9994), thus indicating that the adsorption occurs on the adsorbent surface monolayer with significant adsorption capacity (qm = 20.30 mgS/g), approximately two times greater than that observed for pure SBA‐15. The mean desulfurization reached by the adsorbents was up to 86.8% for six recycling steps.