Executive Summary : | Crude oil is a significant energy source, accounting for over one-third of global energy consumption. Its growth is attributed to the expansion of the transportation sector and its use in the industrial sector as feedstock for plastics, chemicals, cement, and road oil. Organic sulfur compounds in transportation fuels, such as benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene, and thiophene, contribute to sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions, which deplete the ozone layer, generate acid rain, and lower soil fertility. Petroleum refineries use desulfurization to remove sulfur from petroleum fractions. This indirect two-step process converts organic sulfur compounds into polar sulfones and sulfoxides before being extracted with a suitable solvent. The electron density on sulfur atoms directly affects the speed at which sulfur compounds oxidize. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is the ideal oxidant due to its high activity, low cost, and wide availability. ODS benefits from the use of catalysts, such as metal oxide (ZrO2, ZnO, TiO2, CuO) supported with mesoporous silica to enhance mechanical strength. Mesoporous silica materials have pores ranging from 2 to 50 nm in diameter, a strong framework, a porous structure, and a significant surface area for the attachment of diverse functional groups. The current work aims to develop a binary metal oxide supported mesoporous material to desulfurize sulfur compounds, which has not received any scholarly attention to date. |