Mesoporous silica as selective sorbents for removal of sulfones from oxidized diesel fuel

Ordered mesoporous silica materials of different pore sizes and pore volumes were synthesized and characterized. They were used as adsorbent for the removal of sulfones from oxidized diesel. Equilibrium loading capacities of these adsorbents for sulfones were found to be 2–3 times higher when compared to commercially available adsorbents. Breakthrough measurements were also carried out to study the dynamic adsorption behavior of these mesoporous adsorbents for sulfones. The dynamic sulfur adsorption capacity up to 137 min is calculated to be ∼4 mg S/g of adsorbent. The adsorbent regenerability was also studied using acetone as a desorbent. It is shown that acetone is able to completely desorb the sulfones from the adsorbent.