Performance evaluation of “ship-in-the-bottle” type heteropoly acid encaged Y-type zeolite as catalyst for oxidative desulfurization

Clean fuel and clean production technologies, including desulfurization, have become a subject of concern in environmental catalysis studies. One of the most promising desulfurization processes is oxidative desulfurization combined with extraction. Keggin-type heteropoly acids encaged Y-type zeolite were studied as promising catalytic agents for the oxidation of dibenzothiophene with hydrogen peroxide in a normal octane/acetonitrile biphasic system. The key factors affecting the reaction, including the catalyst amount, O/S molar ratio and contact time between oxidant and catalyst, were investigated. The conditions favourable to the reaction were also determined. Moreover, the reused encaged type catalyst exhibited good catalytic activity in recovery experiments and can be effectively applied to diesel oil.