Graphene-Analogue Hexagonal BN Supported with Tungsten-based Ionic Liquid for Oxidative Desulfurization of Fuels

Graphene-analogue hexagonal boron nitride (G-h-BN), as a novel few-layer material, was prepared and used as a support to coat with tungsten-based ionic liquid (IL) in oxidative desulfurization. Designed G-h-BN supported with tungsten-based IL (IL/G-h-BN) heterogeneous catalyst was characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This few layer material supported fat with IL strategy makes the usage amount of It reduce remarkably, which not only presents excellent catalytic activity but also is superior to homogeneous catalysts of Its themselves. Additionally, compared with the multilayer hexagonal boron nitrides (M-h-BN) or commercial bulk BN supported with IL, the IL/G-h-BN catalyst exhibited better catalytic activity in oxidation of dibenzothiophene, reaching 99.3% sulfur removal. The adsorption and catalytic oxidative desulfurization mechanism was further studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and UV-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Moreover, the IL/G-h-BN catalyst could be recycled five times with little decrease in catalytic activity.