Enhancement of Gaseous o-Xylene Elimination by Chlorosulfonic Acid-Modified H-Zeolite Socony Mobil-5

Abstract

It is important to develop effective strategies for enhancing the removal capacity of aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by modifying conventional porous adsorbents. In this study, a novel HZSM-5 zeolite-supported sulfonic acid (ZSM−OSO3H) was prepared through ClSO3H modification in dichloromethane and employed for the elimination of gaseous o-xylene. The ClSO3H modification enables the bonding of −OSO3H groups onto the HZSM-5 support, achieving a loading of 8.25 mmol·g−1 and leading to a degradation in both crystallinity and textural structure. Within an active temperature range of 110–145 °C, ZSM−OSO3H can efficiently remove o-xylene through a novel reactive adsorption mechanism, exhibiting a removal rate exceeding 98% and reaching a maximum breakthrough adsorption capacity of 264.7 mg. The adsorbed o-xylene derivative is identified as 3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid. ZSM−OSO3H demonstrates superior adsorption performance for o-xylene along with excellent recyclability. These findings suggest that ClSO3H sulfonation offers a promising approach for modifying various types of zeolites to enhance both the elimination and resource conversion of aromatic VOCs.