No abstract

In this work, we report a new catalytic oxidative desulfurization (CODS) system based on (TBA)PWFe/PVA/CTS nanohybrid film as a highly active catalyst. The nanohybrid material was successfully fabricated by the composition of tetra (n-butyl) ammonium salt of Fe-substituted phosphotungstate, ((n-C 4 H 9 ) 4 N) 4 [PW 11 Fe(H 2 O)O 39 ] abbreviated as (TBA)PWFe, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and chitosan (CTS). The composite was characterized using various analytical techniques including FT-IR, UV-vis, XRD, and SEM. The results revealed the hydrogen-bonding interaction between inorganic (TBA)PWFe clusters and organic polymers. The catalytic activity of (TBA)PWFe/PVA/CTS was evaluated in the CODS of real gas oil. Also, the solutions of heterocyclic thiophenic compounds (HTCs) in n-heptane were tasted as simulated fuels. It was found that the removal efficiency of HTCs in the presence of (TBA) PWFe/PVA/CTS catalyst reached as high as 95% at 60°C after 2 h. The significant catalytic performance of the nanohybrid film might be attributed to its amphiphilicity and multifunctional active sites, which enhances adsorption and oxidation of sulfur compounds. Moreover, the (TBA)PWFe/PVA/CTS composite can be easily recovered and reused by simple filtration, making it a suitable catalyst for cleaner processing.