Applicable Strategy for Removing Liquid Fuel Nitrogenated Contaminants Using MIL-53-NH2@Natural Fabric Composites

Purification of liquid fuel from nitrogenated compounds is of interest in order to protect the automotive engines and the environment from its harmful effects represented in corrosion, formation of gums in engines, and evolution of NOx gases. In the current report, composites from metal organic framework (MOF) and natural fabric (cotton and wool) was designed and applied in removal of nitrogenated compounds from liquid fuel. MOF based on Al, namely, MIL-53-NH2, was immediately formed inside fabric to produce a MIL-53-NH2@fabric composite. The contents of MOF onto fabrics were 185.0 mg/g (approximate to 22.4 of Al mg/g) for cotton and 234.5 mg/g (approximate to 28.4 of Al mg/g) for wool. Infrared and X-ray spectra confirmed the formation of MIL-53-NH2MOF within natural fabrics. The microscopic observations for composites showed that the compositions of fabrics played a main role in the morphology of the incorporated MOF. The formed composites were applied in adsorption of indole and quinoline from liquid fuel, and the adsorption was fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm. Maximum adsorption capacities of nitrogenated compounds were significantly enlarged from 87.7 and 125 mg/g onto cotton to 149.3 and 178.6 mg/g onto the composite, respectively. In the case of wool, maximum capacities were increased from 121.5 to 163.9 mg/g and 156.4 to 204.1 mg/g after incorporation of MIL-53-NH2MOF into the fabric. The adsorption capacity of the composite was diminished by 19.2%-40.0% by applying four regenerated cycles. It was found that adsorption capacities were linearly functioned with MOF and Al contents onto fabrics. Such a stable composite against recycling could be highly applicable as a filter in fuel purification and could be used many times with substantial adsorption efficiency.