Enhanced super-ultra-deep photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization by titanium-activated metal-organic frameworks nanophotocataltyst

• Titanium activated MIL-101(Fe) nanoparticles for PODS reaction. • The effect of different amount Ti doping on the degradation of sulfur compounds has been investigated. • Physiochemical characteristics of synthesized samples were investigated. • Reaction parameters have been optimized. • Experimental data fits the pseudo-first order reaction rate. Addressing the escalating global demand for fossil fuels and the urgent environmental concerns associated with their use necessitates the development and implementation of efficient and cost-effective techniques for the removal of sulfur compounds. In this study, titanium-activated MIL-101(Fe) was utilized for the removal of organosulfur compounds through the photocatalytic oxidation desulfurization (PODS) process. The coexistence of active sites with titanium and iron resulted in an ultra-deep desulfurization. The impact of titanium loading was assessed, with TxML representing the ratio of Ti to Fe (x = 1, 1.5, and 2, respectively). Nanophotocatalysts were fabricated by solvothermal method. The physicochemical properties of the new materials were investigated by performing XRD, TEM, FT-IR, FESEM, EDX, UV–Vis DRS, PL, GC–MS, ESR, TGA, transient photocurrent, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analyses. The effect of titanium loading on the structure, and performance of photocatalysts in the PODS reaction was investigated. The reaction parameters were optimized for maximum efficiency. Under optimal conditions of T2ML loading at 1.5 g/L, a volumetric solvent to fuel ratio (S/F) of 1, and a temperature of 50 ℃, T2ML shows the best performance by removing 100 % of dibenzothiophene. Kinetic experiments revealed that the PODS reaction obeys a pseudo-first order equation, and activation energy is 47.08 kJ.mol −1 .