Hybridized and Catalyzed: nanohybrid catalyst for oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene

I found the following article, thanks to a Google® Scholar alert I set up a couple of years ago. The abstract makes the article look interesting in itself. The abstract also suggests keywords for further Googling.

Here is the abstract …

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A new simple protocol for the synthesis of nanohybrid catalyst for oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene
Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2019)
Published: 11 December 2019
Mahboube Ghahramaninezhad & Ali Ahmadpour
Author information
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, P.O. Box 91779-48944, Mashhad, Iran.
ahmadpour@um.ac.ir
Abstract
This study offers an investigation of the catalytic activity of TiO2/SiO2 during oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of a model fuel that includes dibenzothiophene (DBT), using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a green oxidant in the absence of UV irradiation. For the first time, though a novel and simple protocol, TiO2/SiO2 nanohybrid was synthesized using ascorbic acid and glycerol as green complexing and polymerizing agents, respectively. The TiO2/SiO2 catalyst was thoroughly characterized by XRD, FT-IR, nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements, TEM, FESEM, and TGA. Results revealed a high catalytic oxidative activity for the catalyst in the removal of DBT regarding sulfur removal up to 99.4% within 20 min under optimum reaction conditions. The main factors affecting the ODS process, including catalyst dosage, temperature, O/S molar ratio, and different oxidizing agents, were evaluated to identify optimum conditions. The desulfurization efficiency of the recoverable catalysts showed no loss in activity after four times. The present article suggests a new and green method for the synthesis and characterization of an efficient catalyst (TiO2/SiO2) in deep oxidative desulfurization at 25 °C and removal of refractory organosulfur compounds that yield ultra-low sulfur fuels. Also, it proved to have a much higher catalytic oxidation capacity when compared to pure TiO2.
source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-019-07048-z
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TIP: Squeeze a little bit more juice out of this abstract. Google®: oxidative desulfurization nanohybrid

One result is an open access article, meaning you can read the full text without charge …

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[ EXCERPTS ]
A Comprehensive Review on Catalytic Oxidative Desulfurization of Liquid Fuel Oil
Article (PDF Available) in Catalysts · March 2019 with 190 Reads 
DOI: 10.3390/catal9030229
Muhammad Nobi Hossain & Hoon Chae Park
Yonsei University
Abstract
The production of green fuel oil is of the utmost importance for maintaining a healthy life and environment in the current world. Effective and complete removal of sulfur refractory compounds (such as 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene and other alkyl-substituted thiophene derivatives) from fuel oil is essential to meet the new requirements of sulfur standards. Several techniques have been proposed for desulfurization of fuel oil, such as hydrodesulfurization (HDS), selective adsorption, extractive distillation, biodesulfurization, and oxidative desulfurization (ODS).The removal of sulfur by the HDS process requires higher investment costs, high reaction temperature (up to 400 ◦C), and high pressure (up to 100 atm) reactors. On the other hand, studies have shown that the ODS process is remarkably successful in the removal of sulfur under mild reaction conditions. This review article presents a comparative analysis of various existing catalytic oxidation techniques:acetic acid/formic acid catalytic oxidation, heteropolyacid (HPA) catalytic oxidation, ionic liquid catalytic oxidation, molecular sieve catalytic oxidation, polyoxometalates catalytic oxidation, titanium catalytic oxidation, and ultrasound-assisted oxidation systems, as well as discusses research gaps,and proposes important recommendations for future challenges.

Conclusions, Future Challenges, and Recommendations
Hydrodesulfurization is a well-established and conventional technique used in oil refinery industries. However, it involves certain constraints, such as higher investment costs. In order to meet the new standards specified for sulfur, the HDS process needs to perform under high reaction conditions, such as high temperature (~400 C), high pressure (~100 atm), and in a large reaction vessel, which raises the amount of investment costs. Therefore, newer techniques, such as extractive desulfurization, biodesulfurization, extraction with ionic liquids, selective adsorption, and oxidative desulfurization have been proposed in addition, or as alternatives, to HDS. Amongst these alternative methods, the oxidative desulfurization process has received more attention due to its mild operating condition and high sulfur removal efficiency. However, there still exists many issues with the ODS process, such as high loading of the oxidizing agent, deactivation of the catalyst, increasing investment costs with increasing sulfur concentration in the feedstock, and waste management of the oxidized sulfur compounds. Several initiatives have been proposed to address these drawbacks found in the ODS method, which include developing a cost effective, high efficiency, and recyclable catalyst, and developing an environment friendly and cheap oxidizing agent. Eventually, to meet the revised sulfur standards recommended by USEPA and the public demand for safer fuels, effective catalytic oxidative desulfurization of fuel oil is required by improvising the ODS process with technological innovations. Until now, the hydrotreating activity of different oxidative catalysts is limited to model sulfur compounds with short chains. On the contrary, the catalyst’s activity in the case of real feedstock with heavy sulfur compounds would vary from the model feedstock, which has not yet been studied in-depth. Therefore, another challenge that remains for researchers is to examine the application of the catalyst in the oxidative desulfurization of real feedstock of heavy oil, such as waste tire pyrolysis oil. Besides these challenges, the more critical challenge is the commercialization of the catalytic oxidative desulfurization process due to some major obstacles, such as low selectivity for the sulfides present in fuel feedstock, recovery, and separation of the used catalysts after the reaction.  
Free full text source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331486586_A_Comprehensive_Review_on_Catalytic_Oxidative_Desulfurization_of_Liquid_Fuel_Oil
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Google® Better!
Jean Steinhardt served as Librarian, Aramco Services, Engineering Division, for 13 years. He now heads Jean Steinhardt Consulting LLC, producing the same high quality research that he performed for Aramco.

Follow Jean’s blog at: http://desulf.blogspot.com/  for continuing tips on effective online research
Email Jean at research@jeansteinhardtconsulting.com  with questions on research, training, or anything else
Visit Jean’s Web site at http://www.jeansteinhardtconsulting.com/  to see examples of the services we can provide

The Most Interesting Conference You’ve Never Heard Of

“Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.” -- Oscar Wilde (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)

A couple of years ago, I became aware of the KACST-Oxford Petrochemical Forum (http://www.kacst.edu.sa/en/about/media/news/Pages/news5110730-8956.aspx) by accident.  Since then, I have tried, without success, to anticipate when the next event would occur.  No wonder. Forum attendance is limited to 60 people, by invitation only.

The third such event occurred in August 2013.  Read the program (http://users.ox.ac.uk/~iclb0195/Forum-3/Venue.html) and you will see why it seems so interesting.

For example, Prof. Edman S.C. Tsang, University of Oxford, presented a paper titled “Rational design of nanocatalysts.”  Another paper, titled “New methods of direct desulphurization of crude oil,” was delivered by Dr. Raja Al-Otaibi, KACST-King Abdulaziz Center for Science and Technology.

Why bother to follow this conference when it is unlikely that you will be able to attend?

I’ll tell you why … you can Google® the people presenting papers to find out what else they have written.  And the other papers and patents they have created are usually accessible.

For example, Google® edman tsang nanocatalysts, and one of the results is the publications page of the Tsang Group (http://tsang.chem.ox.ac.uk/Publications.htm), which lists some 250 articles and patents which he has had a hand in producing.

If you would like to try to wangle an invitation to the next KACST-Oxford Petrochemical Forum, read the following.  And good luck!

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Contacts
Mrs. Linda Webb
Secretary
KACST-Oxford Petrochemical Forum
Phone: +44(0)1865 272646
E-mail linda.webb@chem.ox.ac.uk
The participation to the Forum is limited to about 60 attendees within the Lecture Theatre at Wadham College. However, the Forum is open to all who are interested; especially for those who are interested in building links and collaboration with Oxford and KACST, the biggest Saudi Government Science and Technology Funding body.
Attendance is limited by invitation only and enquiries concerning attendance can be directed to Mrs. Linda Webb.
We very much hope that you will be able to attend the 3rd KACST-Oxford Petrochemical Forum at Oxford.
source: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~iclb0195/Forum-3/Abstracts.html
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Conference Alert: 23rd North American Catalysis Society Meeting

“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute.” -- G. B. Stern (British novelist)

The 23rd North American Catalysis Society Meeting (http://www.cvent.com/events/23rd-north-american-catalysis-society-meeting/event-summary-7114a9bbbfdf406c83b519c6d26af8e0.aspx) is scheduled for June 2- 7, 2013.

There is good reason to visit the URL listed above, beyond the obvious one of finding out how to register for the event.  The site has a multitude of very informative extended abstracts (https://nam.confex.com/nam/2013/webprogram/), like the one below …

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EXCERPT FROM AN EXTENDED ABSTRACT O\N THE 23rd North American Catalysis Society Meeting WEB
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Probing the Hydrodesulfurization Properties of Metal Phosphides Using Core-Shell Nanoparticle Catalysts
Mark E. Bussell 1*, Stephanie L. Brock 2, Galbokka H. Layan Savithra 2, Richard H. Bowker 1 and Bo A. Carrillo 1
1 Dept. of Chemistry, MS-9150, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225 USA
2 Dept. of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202 USA
*mark.bussell@wwu.edu
Introduction
Transition metal phosphides show excellent promise for hydrotreating reactions and the most active phosphides, Ni2P and Ni-rich bimetallic phosphides, have exhibited higher HDS and HDN activities than commercial sulfided Co-Mo and Ni-Mo catalysts [1,2]. Oxide-supported metal phosphide catalysts are most often prepared by temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), in which phosphate-like precursors are heated in flowing hydrogen to a maximum temperature in the range 823-923 K. TPR methods do not enable size and shape control of the degree needed to probe microstructure-reactivity relationships in transition metal phosphides. In this study, the preparation, characterization and hydrodesulfurization (HDS) properties of mesoporous silica encapsulated metal phosphide nanoparticles (Ni2P, Pd5P2) having narrow polydispersity were investigated.
Significance
Encapsulation of metal phosphide nanoparticles to form core-shell structures (e.g. Ni2P@mSiO2) minimizes sintering of the nanoparticles and enables probing of the microstructural properties of metal phosphide catalysts under the harsh reaction conditions relevant to industrial hydrotreating processes
source: https://nam.confex.com/nam/2013/webprogram/Paper7167.html
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Here are three time-saver tips …

TIP #1: Bookmark the North America Catalysis Society Web (http://nacatsoc.org/) and visit it from time to time for event information
TIP #2: Explore the extended abstracts feature of the 23^rd Meeting (https://nam.confex.com/nam/2013/webprogram/) for the names of people to add to your personal list of experts
TIP #3: Visit the Desulfurization Blog once a week or so for more time-saver tips