Open AccessCarbon Nanomaterials for the Adsorptive Desulfurization of Fuels
Author(s) -
Efstratios Svinterikos,
Ioannis Zuburtikudis,
Mohamed Al-Marzouqi
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of nanotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.347
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1687-9511
pISSN - 1687-9503
DOI - 10.1155/2019/2809867
Subject(s) - flue gas desulfurization , materials science , adsorption , nanomaterials , carbon fibers , graphene , nanotechnology , surface modification , activated carbon , chemical engineering , waste management , composite material , organic chemistry , engineering , chemistry , composite number
The increasing demand for cleaner fuels and the recent stringent regulations of commercial fuel specifications have driven the research of alternative methods to upgrade the current industrial desulfurization technology. Adsorptive desulfurization, the removal of refractory sulfur compounds using appropriate selective tailor-made adsorbents, has shown up as a promising alternative in the recent years. Carbon nanomaterials, namely, graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers, show a significant potential as desulfurization adsorbents. Their surface area and porosity, their ability of easy functionalization, and their suitability to serve as a support of different types of adsorbents have rendered them attractive candidates for this purpose. In this review, after a presentation of the current industrial desulfurization practice and its limitations, the structure and properties of the carbon nanomaterials of interest will be described, followed by a detailed account of their applications in adsorptive desulfurization. The major literature findings and conclusions will be presented and discussed as a road map for future research in the field.