Kinetics of Sulfur Removal from Tehran Vehicular Gasoline by g-C(3)N(4)/SnO(2) Nanocomposite

[Image: see text] The graphitic carbon nitride/tin oxide (g-C(3)N(4)/SnO(2)) nanocomposite synthesized under microwave irradiation was used for adsorptive removal of sulfur-containing dibenzothiophene (DBT) from Tehran vehicular gasoline. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy techniques determined the adsorbent characteristics, and gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector determined the DBT concentration of the samples. Application of the experimental data into the solid/fluid kinetic models indicated a chemisorption control regime that increased the removal of sulfur from the commercial samples used. A pseudo-second-order reaction with the rate constant of 0.015 (g mg(–1) min(–1)) and total conversion time of 316 min described the adsorption process. Based on the real fuel results, the adsorption capacity of the g-C(3)N(4)/SnO(2) adsorbent reached 10.64 mg S g(–1) adsorbent at equilibrium conditions. This value was the highest adsorption capacity obtained so far for a commercial gasoline sample. The g-C(3)N(4)/SnO(2) nanocomposite could, therefore, be introduced as an inexpensive, easily obtainable adsorbent that can significantly remove the sulfur from the vehicular gasoline fuels.