Adsorptive Desulfurization of 4,6-Dimethyldibenzothiophene on Bimetallic Mesoporous Y Zeolites: Effects of Cu and Ce Composition and Configuration

Sulfur emissions from transportation fuels can be detrimental for fuel cell applications. Adsorptive desulfurization using bimetal-exchanged mesoporous Y zeolites exhibit high capacity and selectivity for sulfur. The combination of pore structure and metals allows for improved accessibility to the active sites and stronger bond formations. Our studies have shown that the synergy between Ce and Cu plays a crucial role. Herein, we demonstrate that the bimetal-exchanged mesoporous Y zeolite (CuCeSAY) exhibits a remarkable adsorption capacity for 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene, about 200 mL/g in model fuel. The experimental results were supported by characterization techniques and spectroscopic analysis. A reduction in capacity was realized when naphthalene was added. Our study revealed that the metal composition and configuration can be controlled to enhance the adsorption. The highest adsorption capacity in the presence of naphthalene was observed by using 2% Cu 10% CeSAY. After two cycles of regeneration, the adsorption capacity hardly decreased.