Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube spheres as metal-free catalysts for the partial oxidation of H2S

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) with macroscopic shaping were synthesized by a coagulation route using alginate as a coagulating agent and the as-synthesized sample was used as metal-free catalysts in the partial oxidation of H2S into elemental sulfur. The N-CNT beads display a relatively high desulfurization activity along with a high stability as a function of time on stream. The desulfurization performance of the N-CNT beads was also measured and compared to that of the Fe2O3/SiC catalyst. The N-CNT beads display a higher desulfurization activity under the similar reaction conditions with, however, lower sulfur selectivity due to the problem of diffusion of the reactant through the bead porosity. (C) 2016 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.