Oxidative desulfurization catalyzed by magnetically recoverable CoFe2O4 nano-particles

In this study, the magnetic CoFe2O4 was fabricated and utilized as catalysts to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for removal of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in model oil with the extraction-coupled catalytic combined with oxidation desulfurization system (ECODS). The prepared magnetic CoFe2O4 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer VSM etc. The results showed that the prepared magnetic CoFe2O4 with a large specific surface area and exhibited excellent magnetism, phase composition, crystallinity and uniform distribution of the elements. The sulfur removal of DBT in n-octane was 95 % in 60 min at 40 °C under the conditions: 6 mL of model oil (600 ppm), O/S = 3:1 and 125 mg of CoFe2O4 powder. The possible mechanism of desulfurization was proposed by GC–MS. In conclusion, CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles function well in both desulfurization and catalysis for PMS.