A sulfur K-edge XANES study on the transfer of sulfur species in the reactive adsorption desulfurization of diesel oil over Ni/ZnO

Reactive adsorption desulfurization (RADS) of diesel oil was conducted over a Ni/ZnO adsorbent; the transfer of sulfur species in the RADS process was investigated by the sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results indicted that the organic sulfur compounds in the diesel oil are first decomposed on surface Ni of Ni/ZnO to form Ni3S2, followed by the reduction of Ni3S2 to form H2S, and then H2S is stored in the adsorbent accompanied by the conversion of ZnO into ZnS.