Enhanced Hydrodesulfurization of Diesel Using Novel RN/γ-Al2O3@CNTs Catalyst

Combustion of fossil fuels releases harmful pollutants, particularly sulfur-containing compounds such as alkyl mercaptans, sulfides, disulfides, and thiophenes present in diesel fuel. These pollutants pose significant environmental, health, and economic challenges. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) using heterogeneous catalysts is a widely employed refinery technique to remove sulfur from diesel. In this study, a novel RN/γ-Al2O3@CNTs catalyst was synthesized by incorporating 15% Raney nickel (RN), resulting in a high surface area of approximately 129 m2/g. The catalyst’s HDS performance was evaluated using diesel fuel containing 0.98% sulfur. For comparison, a RN/γ-Al2O3 catalyst was also prepared. The RN/γ-Al2O3@CNTs catalyst achieved a superior sulfur removal efficiency of 92% in batch HDS tests, significantly outperforming the 80% efficiency of RN/γ-Al2O3. These results highlight the potential of RN/γ-Al2O3@CNTs as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for improved diesel desulfurization, contributing to reduced environmental pollution.