Silver Oxide/Boron Nitride Nanocomposite as a Robust Catalyst for Oxidative Desulfurization: High efficiency and Recyclability with NaClO Oxidant

In this study, silver oxide/boron nitride (AgO/BN) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized using wet impregnation method and used as a catalyst for oxidative desulfurization (ODS). The structure, morphology, and composition showed well-integrated AgO/BN hybrid. In the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, the observed vibrational bands of Ag–O, B–N, and BN–O and shifting of the peaks suggest the strong interaction of AgO and BN within the composite. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis confirms the presence of O, Ag, B, and N in the composite, and elemental mapping showed that these elements were evenly distributed. SEM demonstrates the heterogeneous and porous morphology with uniformly dispersed AgO crystallites. The catalytic performance of the prepared AgO/BN composite was evaluated using dibenzothiophene (DBT) as a model sulfur compound and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) as the oxidant. By adjusting the oxygen-to-sulfur (O/S) molar ratio at 4, temperature at 60 °C, 99% of DBT conversion has been achieved in just 60 min using 0.4 g of AgO/BN composite. NaClO outperformed both hydrogen peroxide and formic acid in the tests for oxidants. Moreover, the prepared AgO/BN catalyst was efficient in recycling test, demonstrating only 11% decline in the performance after four successful cycles. The outcomes of the study prove that the AgO/BN composite can be a reliable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly catalyst for industry to produce cleaner fuels.