Experimental Performance Study of Activated Carbon Loaded with Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles from Pomegranate Peels in Diesel Desulfurization

Abstract

This study develops a green methodology for adsorptive desulfurization of diesel fuel with NiO-NP-doped AC prepared using Iraqi pomegranate peel extract. The NiO-NPs were generated greenly by reduction of nickel nitrate via phytochemicals generated from pomegranate peel, then these NiO-NPs were calcined and loaded on AC (10 wt.%). Characterization by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDS supported the formation of a mesoporous AC-NiO composite with a surface area of 775 m² g⁻¹ and NiO particles of ~30-50nm sizes having both crystalline and amorphous forms. The optimization studies showed that the catalyst loading of 0,75 g gave the highest sulfur removal efficiency, i.e., 90,76% with a reaction temperature of 90°C and a reaction time of 90 minutes, respectively. These are mild conditions that provide a good compromise between performance and energy economy. The degrees of removal achieved herein compare favorably with those obtained by other adsorbents and thus spotlight the potential of this green-engineered catalyst for industrial-scale sustainable settings.