title: Selective Adsorption of Thiols Using Gold Nanoparticles Supported on Metal Oxides.
abstract: Selective capture of thiols from a synthetic hydrogen sulfide containing mixture using supported nanogold materials has been explored for the potential removal of thiols from sour gas production fluids. In this research, TiO2-, Al2O3-, SiO2-, and ZnO-supported gold nanoparticles have been studied for their usage as regeneratable adsorbents to capture CH3SH, C2H5SH, and i-C3H7SH. Au/TiO2 and Au/Al2O3 showed promising properties for removing the thiols efficiently from a gas-phase mixture; however, Au/Al2O3 did catalyze some undesirable side reactions, e.g., carbonyl sulfide formation. It was found that a mild temperature of T = 200 °C was sufficient for regeneration of either Au/TiO2 or Au/Al2O3 adsorbent. The metal oxide mesopores played an important role for accommodating gold particles and chemisorption of the thiols, where smaller pore sizes were found to inhibit the agglomeration/growth of gold particles. The nature of thiol adsorption and the impact of multiple adsorption-desorption cycles on the adsorbents have been studied using electron microscopy, XPS, XRD, GC, and physi/chemiadsorption analyses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive, Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 1N4.
authors.forename: Ruohong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive, Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 1N4.
authors.forename: Kevin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lesage
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive, Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 1N4.
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Carefoot
authors.affiliation: Health Science Center, University of Calgary , 3330 Hospital Drive, Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fürstenhaupt
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive, Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 1N4.
authors.forename: Chelsea J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive, Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 1N4.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marriott