Ethyl mercaptan removal from gas streams using regenerable Co/Fe modified hexaniobate nanotubes

In this study, Fe and Co/Fe modified H4Nb6O17 nanotubes as high efficiency materials for C2H5SH removal were synthesized by ion exchange-flocculation-calcination process. The results showed that Co/Fe modified H4Nb6O17 nanotubes can enhance removal effect of C2H5SH. C2H5SH breakthrough adsorption capacity of different materials decline as follows: Co/Fe-HNT-0.3 (36.20 mg.g(-1)) > Co/Fe-HNT-0.5 (33.70 mg.g(-1)) = Co/Fe-HNT-0.1 (33.70 mg.g(-1)) > 10 %Fe-HNT (29.96 mg.g(-1)) > HNT-450 (11.23 mg.g(-1)) > HNT (6.24 mg.g(-1)). After four cycle regenerations, the Co/Fe-HNT-0.3 can still maintain C2H5SH removal efficiency of 96.5 %. The characterization results indicated that the loaded metal of Fe and Co/Fe can improve the structure, morphology, thermal stability, and rich pore structure of the H4Nb6O17 nanotubes. It also indicated that Co/Fe oxides were the mainly active substances on H4Nb6O17 nanotubes. These characteristics enhance the adsorption and activation of C2H5SH by Fe and Co/Fe loaded H4Nb6O17 nanotubes. The introduction of Co additives promotes the reduction of Fe3+ and the formed Fe3O4 serve as the main active species to promote the oxidation of adsorbed C2H5SH. This study presents an efficient material of Co/Fe modified H4Nb6O17 nanotubes for the removal of C2H5SH.