Kinetic and thermodynamic studies on adsorption of thiophene and benzothiophene onto AgCeY Zeolite

• AgCeY with high adsorption capacity and selectivity was prepared by ion-exchange.
• The adsorptions can be represented by the Langmuir model.
• The pseudo-first order model can describe the kinetics of the adsorptions.
• The adsorptions are mass transfer controlled and exothermic.
• Adsorption processes proceed via a complex diffusion mechanism.

AgCeY zeolite was successfully prepared by exchange of NaY with a combination of Ag and Ce ions. The effects of the adsorption temperature and time on the adsorption desulfurization of thiophene (TP) and benzothiophene (BT) were studied using a batch method at ambient conditions, respectively. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics of TP and BT onto AgCeY were studied, and the thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH) for the adsorption of TP and BT calculated, respectively. The results show that the isothermal equilibrium for TP and BT can both be represented by the Langmuir model, and the Langmuir constant KL was found to decrease with an increase in temperature, which indicates that the adsorption processes are exothermic. The kinetics of the adsorption processes for TP and BT can both be described by the pseudo-first order model. The adsorptions are mass transfer controlled and exothermic.

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