Effect of preparation method on desulfurization performance of AgCeY adsorbents

The AgCeY-n adsorbents were successfully synthesized by microwave-assisted liquid ion exchange (AgCeY-1), hydrothermal ion exchange (AgCeY-2) and liquid phase ion exchange (AgCeY-3) methods with NaY (Si/Al ration=5.3) molecular sieve parent and characterized by XRD, BET, XPS and Py-FTIR analysis. With thiophene (TP) and benzothiophene (BT) as the model sulfides, and toluene and cyclohexene as the competition components, the effects of the preparation method on the adsorptive desulfurization properties of the as-prepared adsorbents were evaluated. The results show that the Ag and Ce species in AgCeY-n zeolites exist as Ag⁺ and Ce⁴⁺. The AgCeY-1 prepared via microwave-assisted liquid ion exchange method possesses the highest Ag⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ contents. In addition, it possesses the highest amounts of L and B acid. The adsorption selectivity to sulfur compounds follows the order:BT>TP. The effects of competition components on the sulfur removal with AgCeY-n zeolites follow the order:cyclohexene>toluene. Among the preparation methods tested,the microwave-assisted liquid ion exchange method takes the shortest time (20 min). The as-prepared AgCeY-1 adsorbent exhibits most satisfied performance of adsorption for all the model oils and a wonderful regeneration property. The removal ability for TP and BT of various adsorbents follows the order:AgCeY-1 >AgCeY-2 >AgCeY-3.