Metal‐free boron nitride adsorbent for ultra‐deep desulfurization

Abstract

Activated metal‐free boron nitride (BN) adsorbent has been prepared by a surfactant assisted regulation strategy. By tuning the variety of surfactants (such as P123, PVP, F127), usage and reaction temperature, the adsorptive performance of activated BN was optimized. The optimized BN‐P123 adsorbent displays porous structure with a high surface area about 1185 m 2 /g and exhibits excellent adsorptive desulfurization activity for dibenzothiophene (45.7 mg S/g adsorbent for 500 ppmw sulfur model oil), which is comparable or even superior to the state‐of‐the‐art adsorbent. Additionally, this activated BN‐P123 could realize the ultra‐deep desulfurization through adsorptive process to reach the latest international standard (less than 10 ppmw). Considering the nontoxic metal‐free feature and the excellent adsorption performance, the obtained activated BN‐P123 may be a powerful candidate to meet the requirements of potential industrial applications. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 63: 3463–3469, 2017