PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND H2S ADSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF ION-EXCHANGED ZEOLITE X

Abstract

This research focuses on the adsorptive removal of polluted H2S at ambient temperature by modified zeolite X adsorbents. The zeolite X has been synthesized by hydrothermal method and ion- exchanged with six different divalent metal ions including Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ca²⁺ , and Zn²⁺. The H₂S adsorption activity of the material was determined by a continuous fixed-bed adsorption system and expressed by the adsorption capacity performance until the H2S output concentration reach a specified breakthrough point of 10 ppm. The materials have been subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural analysis, low-temperature N2 adsorption was used for specific surface area of the material (BET method), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES)for metal content analysis. The faujasite structure of zeolite was detected for the materials except the Cu2⁺- exchanged sample. Comparing to the assynthesized zeolite X, the Zn²⁺ - exchanged zeolite X has increased the H₂S adsorption capacity more than 24 times. Moreover, the Zn content in the zeolite was confirmed to be an essential factor contributed to the H₂S adsorption activity.