METAL NANOPARTICLE-DEPOSITED, NITROGEN-DOPED CARBON ADSORBENTS FOR REMOVAL OF SULFUR IMPURITIES IN FUELS
Metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbents are disclosed, along with methods of removing sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon feed stream using these adsorbents.
1 . A metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent, produced by a process comprising:
a) contacting at least one nitrogen precursor and a suitable first metal-containing salt in a first strong acid solution;
b) contacting a product of a) and an oxidant;
c) heating a product of b) in an inert atmosphere;
d) contacting a product of c) with a second strong acid solution;
e) heating a product of d) in an inert atmosphere, and
f) contacting the product of e) with a second metal-containing salt;
thereby producing the metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent.
2 . The adsorbent of claim 1 , wherein the second metal-containing salt is a gold-containing salt, and the metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent is a gold nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent.
3 . The adsorbent of claim 1 , wherein said a) is contacting two nitrogen precursors and the suitable first metal-containing salt in a first strong acid solution.
4 . The adsorbent of claim 3 , wherein said two nitrogen precursors are a first nitrogen precursor which is aniline and a second nitrogen precursor which is cyanimide.
5 . The adsorbent of claim 1 , wherein said b) is contacting the product of a) and (NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 , thus forming an oxidized product, and contacting said oxidized product with an aqueous solution containing carbon black and a low molecular weight alcohol.
6 . The adsorbent of claim 1 , wherein said c) is heating the product of b) to a first temperature of from about 35° C. to about 100° C., and then to a second temperature of from about 500° C. to about 1000° C.
7 . The adsorbent of claim 1 , wherein said d) is contacting the product of c) with either an H 2 SO 4 solution or a HNO 3 solution.
8 . The adsorbent of claim 1 , wherein said e) is heating the product of d) from about 500° C. to about 1000° C.
9 . The absorbent of claim 1 , wherein f) does not comprise a reducing agent.
10 . The absorbent of claim 1 , wherein f) comprises a reducing agent.
11 . A method for removing sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising:
A) providing a first hydrocarbon feed stream, which is contaminated with the sulfur compounds; and
B) passing the first hydrocarbon feed stream through a desulfurization system comprising the metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent, to produce a second hydrocarbon feed stream which has about 30% to about 99.9% by weight less of the sulfur compounds than the first hydrocarbon feed stream, wherein the metal nano-particle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon absorbent is produced by a process comprising:
a) contacting at least one nitrogen precursor and a suitable first metal-containing salt in a first strong acid solution;
b) contacting a product of a) and an oxidant;
c) heating a product of b) in an inert atmosphere;
d) contacting a product of c) with a second strong acid solution;
e) heating a product of d) in an inert atmosphere, and
f) contacting the product of e) with a second metal-containing salt.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream is a liquid hydrocarbon feed stream.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the liquid hydrocarbon feed stream is selected from the group consisting of diesel fuel, jet fuel, gasoline, kerosene, compressed natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sulfur compounds comprise dibenzothiophene (DBT).
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sulfur compounds comprise 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT).
16 . A method of making a metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent, the method comprising:
a) contacting at least one nitrogen precursor and a suitable first metal-containing salt in a first strong acid solution;
b) contacting a product of a) and an oxidant;
c) heating a product of b) in an inert atmosphere;
d) contacting a product of c) with a second strong acid solution;
e) heating a product of d) in an inert atmosphere, and
f) contacting the product of e) with a second metal-containing salt.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second metal-containing salt is a gold-containing salt, and the metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent is a gold nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbent.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said c) is heating the product of b) to a first temperature of from about 35° C. to about 100° C., and then to a second temperature of from about 500° C. to about 1000° C.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said e) is heating the product of d) from about 500° C. to about 1000° C.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein f) does not comprise a reducing agent.