Sulfated zirconia as a novel and recyclable catalyst for removal of olefins from aromatics

A novel sulfated zirconia (ZrO2/SO42-) catalyst was prepared and the catalytic property of this catalyst was compared with active clay and zeolite (USY) in removing olefins from aromatics. Pyridine-FTIR indicated that the abundance of Lewis acid centers on sulfated zirconia is a vital factor for its excellent catalytic activity. N-2 adsorption analysis shows that sulfated zirconia is a promising mesopore catalyst material. The superior catalytic performance as well as efficient reusability demonstrated that sulfated zirconia possesses bright application prospects in industry. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.