Application of Fumed Silica as a Support during Oxidative Desulfurization

Here, a hydrophilic fumed silica (F-SiO₂) was used as a support, and we place phosphotungstic acid (HPW) onto the F-SiO₂ via a simple impregnation method normally used to prepare a HPW/F-SiO₂ catalyst, which is used in oxidative desulfurization processes. A number of characterization analyses were used, such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and Transmission electron microscopy, to prove that the HPW catalyst was homogeneously distributed on the F-SiO₂. The structural parameters of the catalyst and the support were tested with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and it was confirmed that the catalyst is a mesoporous material. Energy-dispersive spectrometry was used to characterize the distribution of the active component distribution. Catalytic performance was investigated using the catalytic oxidative desulfurization process. During optimal conditions, the removal effect of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in simulated oil can reach 100%. After 13 cycles, catalytic activity is still high, and the DBT conversion can still attain 95.362%.