EXTRACTIVE DESULFURIZATION OF LIQUID FUEL WITH PHOSPHONIUM-BASED IONIC LIQUID

Extractive desulfurization (EDS) is one of the more regarded technique for the removal of sulfur compounds (present in the liquid fuel) which produce one of the main source of air pollutions i.e. SOx. Environmental considerations limit the use of organic solvents to this process. Ionic liquids have unique properties which cause increase the application of these type of solvents for EDS. In continuation of our previous study on the application of task-specific phosphonium ionic liquids (PIL) for EDS. Tri-n-butyl-(2- hydroxyethyl) phosphonium bromide ([TBHEP][Br]) performance of EDS as a PIL containing alcohol moiety was studied. For this purpose, the effect of various parameters such as reaction time, temperature, volume ratio of [TBHEP][Br]/fuel in the liquid fuel and type of sulfur compounds was investigated. The efficiency of extraction for sulfur obtained of 56, 70 and 41 % for benzothiophene, dibenzo thiophene and dimethyl dibenzothiophene, respectively.