Preparation of cerium-loaded Y-zeolites for removal of organic sulfur compounds from hydrodesulfurizated gasoline and diesel oil

Ce(IV)-loaded Y-zeolites (CeY) were prepared for selective removal of the trace amount of organic sulfur compounds from hydrodesulfurization (HDS)-treated diesel oil. The CeY samples can be obtained from NH4-Y-zeolite (NH4Y) using liquid-phase ion-exchange and solid-state ion-exchange methods. The ion-exchange reactions, structures, and selective adsorptions of organic sulfur compounds of the CeY samples were investigated using XRD, IR, XPS, TEM, and GC sulfur analyzer. The organic sulfur compound uptakes strongly depend on the amount and the valency of Ce in the zeolite structure. Ce(IV) shows much higher adsorptive ability than Ce(III). A CeY-S sample prepared by solid-state ion-exchange reaction of NH4Y and Ce(NO3)3 with Ce/NH4 mole ratio of 0.63 at 250 degrees C showed a maximum sulfur uptake from a model solution of HDS-treated gasoline containing thiophene S = 5 ppm (ppm = mg/L)]. A desulfurization from a HDS-treated diesel oil containing organic sulfur compounds (S = 1.87 ppm) and H2S (S = 0.73 ppm) was investigated with a combination of the CeY-S and a CuO adsorbent for removal of H2S by a batch method. The sulfur content was reduced to below 0.01 ppm for the first time. This method provides a promising desulfurization process to prepare a clean fuel for fuel cells.