Sodium dodecyl sulfate-assisted synthesis of hierarchically porous ZIF-8 particles for removing mercaptan from gasoline

•Sodium dodecyl sulfate was used for producing mesopores and macropores in ZIF-8.•Synthesized ZIF-8 was lamellar with mesopores and macropores penetrating the layers.•Hierarchically porous ZIF-8 had superior mercaptan capacity.•Hierarchically porous ZIF-8 had satisfying selectivity for mercaptan adsorption.•Hierarchically porous ZIF-8 showed excellent regeneration ability.

A series of hierarchically porous ZIF-8 particles was synthesized using low-cost sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the template for mesopores and macropores in an aqueous system. The as-synthesized ZIF-8 was lamellar, with mesopores and macropores penetrating the layers, and its external surface area could be finely tuned by changing the SDS concentration. The hierarchically porous ZIF-8 with large external surface area had more active Zn sites, and thereby exhibited superior capacity and satisfying selectivity for the adsorption of mercaptan from gasoline. Moreover, the as-synthesized hierarchically porous ZIF-8 exhibited good thermal stability at temperatures as high as 773 K and excellent regeneration ability, indicating its promise for industrial applications. The method proposed herein opens a new and simple route for the synthesis of hierarchically porous ZIF-8 with tunable porosity.

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