Preparation and Characterization of Molybdenum Oxide Biochar Catalyst for Efficient Desulfurization Process

Producing low-sulfur commercial fuel became one of the concerns nowadays in order to curb the environmental pollution. Extensive studies were developed in refining crude oil industries such as oxidation-extraction method and adsorption techniques, which utilizes small amount of catalyst with low pressure and temperature yet effective and cost saving. In this study, activated carbon (AC) from empty fruit bunch EFB was successfully prepared and impregnated with molybdenum oxide MoO3 for removal of sulfur from sulfur-added oil. The prepared activated carbon-molybdenum oxide AC/MoO3 was characterized by using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Meanwhile, two-step sulfur removal was carried out by catalytic oxidative-extractive desulfurization (Cat-OEDS) method. The characterization of the chemically treated AC shows high surface area, pore size and pore volume which is 1575.5 m2 g-1, 0.835 cm3 g-1 and 2.120 nm respectively. From the results obtained, the 15% metal oxide molybdenum displays the highest sulfur removal by adsorption of 66.7% (500 ppm) and 51.12% (800 ppm) while 97.96% (500 ppm) and 96.54% (800 ppm) sulfur reduction in the presence of oxidant TBHP and DMF as an extractant which the oxidation performed at 30 ̊C while extraction conducted on ambient temperature for 30 minutes of both processes. As conclusion, the prepared AC/MoO3 derived from EFB promises as an excellent metal oxide catalyst for absorptive-oxidative-extractive sulfur removal from any sulfur contained fuels.