An efficient oxidative desulfurization method of diesel fuel via iron oxide – molybdenum oxide nanocomposite catalysts on gamma alumina

Abstract

Abstract In the realm of fuel desulfurization, the application of nanocomposite catalysts has emerged as a promising solution to effectively eliminate sulfur compounds. This research endeavors to enhance the process of oxidative desulfurization of fuel through the development of a novel nanocomposite catalyst composed of iron-molybdenum oxide immobilized on a gamma alumina substrate. The objective is to investigate the catalytic performance of this material for efficient sulfur removal from fuel, thereby contributing to the optimization of fuel quality and reducing detrimental environmental impacts. XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and BET analyses identified the synthesized nanocomposite catalysts, which include iron-molybdenum oxide based on γ -alumina. The effect of different metal loading percentages on the base and variables affecting the process (temperature, reaction time, O/S molar ratio, and extraction solvents) have been investigated. Dimethylformamide solvent was identified as the best solvent for extracting the reaction products in this process. The best conditions obtained in this work (O/S = 6:1, 60℃, 90 min) and the synthesized catalyst with 5% by weight was identified as the most efficient catalyst, which removed 88% of sulfur compounds in the fuel.