Synthesis and characterization of surfactant modified MgO-pillared clays impregnated with Cu, Fe and Cu-Fe for H2S removal.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to modify a synthetic clay with MgO and a non-ionic surfactant (Igepal CA-720), impregnated with Cu or Fe to evaluate the H2S removal. The Cu and Fe content was: 1.0; 8.0 and 15wt. %, bimetallic Cu-Fe solids were also prepared. The obtained materials were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and thermogravimetic analysis (TGA). An increase of surface area, pore volume and mesoporosity was observed after clay modification with surfactant and MgO. The modified clay impregnated with Cu showed, by XRD, CuO phases which were confirmed by TPR profiles. The highest H2S removal was obtained for clay sample containing 15% of Cu. It was established that the surface reaction occurred over metallic sites while the porous structure of the material was kept intact after reaction.

Keywords

• H2S removal
• pillared impregnated clays
• template method