Abstract
The presence of sulfur components in diesel fuel can produce SOx gases, which emit from the combustion of diesel fuel and cause serious environmental problems. In this study, four various adsorbents biochar/CuFe2O4 (BC/CuFe2O4), oxidized biochar/CuFe2O4 (O-BC/CuFe2O4), ethylene diamine-functionalized biochar/CuFe2O4 (Et-BC/CuFe2O4) and melamine-functionalized biochar/CuFe2O4 (Me-BC/CuFe2O4) were prepared for application in the total sulfur (all sulfur compounds) adsorption from diesel fuel. The prepared samples were characterized by XRD, TGA, VSM, FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM and Raman techniques. Also, the Response Surface Methodology-Box-Behnken design was used in order to optimize adsorption key parameters included contact time, amount of adsorbent and percentage of Cu. Because of the presence of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles, all of the prepared adsorbents can be regenerated and reused for consecutive adsorption tests. The π-complexation can be formed between Cu in adsorbents and aromatic sulfur compounds. Also Cu+2 can be a proper cation for adsorption of mercaptan components from diesel fuel. Formation of oxygenated group in O-BC sample and presence of –NH2 functions in Et-BC and Me-BC samples can form hydrogen bonding with sulfur atom in sulfur compounds and create a very high adsorption capacity. Kinetic as well as isotherm studies showed that total sulfur adsorption by the prepared adsorbents followed second order and Langmuir adsorption model. For the sample of Me-BC/CuFe2O4, the adsorption capacity was obtained 1666.7 mg/g, while this value was 192.3 mg/g in the presence of BC adsorbent. It was found that 98.6% of total sulfur was removed by Me-BC/CuFe2O4. Thermodynamic data demonstrated that total sulfur adsorption was spontaneous and followed an endothermic path. Regeneration of the prepared adsorbents employing NaOH solution showed that the adsorbents have suitable reusabilities after five sorption and desorption runs.
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