Review on advances in adsorption material for mercaptan removal from gasoline oil

The merox process has been widely used in the petrochemical industry to remove mercaptans in petroleum fractions. But due to its disadvantages of high cost and environmental pollution, great efforts have been made to develop more efficient desulfurization techniques in the past several decades. The adsorption desulfurization technology, utilizing adsorbents for the physical or chemical removal of mercaptan from petroleum fractions at ambient temperatures, is anticipated to replace the existing Merox technology due to its cost-effectiveness. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the existing mercaptan removal technologies, elucidating their mechanisms as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, we thoroughly examine the latest advancements in adsorption materials for mercaptan removal. Special emphasis is given to the current research status and evaluation pertaining to the desulfurization effect of five existing adsorbent materials. And the advancements in enhancing the selectivity, stability, and reusability of these adsorbents. Finally, the challenges and perspectives on stability and regenerability issues encountered by adsorbents ultimately offer valuable insights for the removal of mercaptans from petroleum fractions.