Preparation of copper-based biochar adsorbent with outstanding H2S adsorption capacity and study on H2S removal

Abstract

In this study, a H2S adsorbent with outstanding adsorption capacity and low cost based on the hybrid of biochar and copper was prepared for the removal of gaseous H2S. The effects of preparation parameters and process parameters on desulfurization performance on the developed adsorbent, and the mechanism and kinetics of H2S removal were studied systematically. The regeneration performance of Cu2.56WRS300 adsorbent after H2S adsorption and its mercury removal performance after deactivation were also tested. The results show that although copper loading is not conducive to the development of physical structure of the adsorbent, it promotes the formation of a large number of copper oxide adsorption sites on surface of the adsorbent, which greatly increasing H2S adsorption capacity. Under the optimized tested conditions, the best H2S adsorption capacity on the Cu2.56WRS300 adsorbent is up to 1191.1 mg/g, which is far more than most similar adsorbents. The chemisorption are the decisive step of the H2S adsorption process. The inactivated Cu2.56WRS300 adsorbent shows good regeneration ability and better Hg0 removal performance than commercial activated carbon. This study provides a new idea for the development of cost-effective H2S adsorbent.