Open AccessGaseous Heptanethiol Removal by a Fe3+-Phenanthroline–Kaolinite Hybrid Material
Author(s) -
Fabrizio Bernini,
Elena Castellini,
Maria Franca Brigatti,
Beatrice Bighi,
Marco Borsari,
Daniele Malferrari
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.1c04145
Subject(s) - kaolinite , sepiolite , adsorption , chemistry , montmorillonite , phenanthroline , inorganic chemistry , catalysis , molar mass , nuclear chemistry , chemical engineering , mineralogy , polymer , organic chemistry , raw material , engineering
Kaolinite functionalized by the μ-oxo Fe 3+ -phenanthroline complex (Fe +3 Phen) was selected to test its ability to efficiently remove and store gaseous heptanethiol (HPT). Spectroscopic techniques, elemental analysis, and thermal analysis coupled with evolved gas mass spectrometry were employed to characterize the material before and after the exposure to the gas and to define the adsorption process. The amount of HPT trapped by the functionalized kaolinite after 60 days is 0.10940 moles per 100 g of kaolinite which, considering the amount of adsorbed Fe +3 Phen (0.00114 moles per 100 g of kaolinite), means a thiol/Fe 3+ Phen molar ratio of about 100:1, a value much higher than those found in the past for Fe +3 Phen functionalized montmorillonite and sepiolite. In addition, the process was found to be efficient also beyond 60 days. This significant removal of the smelly gas was explained by considering a continuous catalytic activity of Fe 3+ toward the oxidation of thiol to disulfide.