Ultra-deep Desulfurization of Gasoline with CuW/TiO₂–GO through Photocatalytic Oxidation

Graphene oxide (GO) was co-modified with copper, tungsten, and titanium oxide. A photocatalytic reactor was used to investigate the performance of the resulting catalysts in the ultra-deep desulfurization of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) gasoline. The resultant samples were characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption techniques. XRD analysis indicated the coexistence of TiO₂, CuO, and WO₃ in the catalysts. The desulfurization rate, the refined oil yield, and the increase in the research octane number of FCC gasoline reached 100%, 99.4%, and 1.6 units, respectively, under suitable conditions of a metal content of 10.3%, a metal ratio of 0.7, a reaction temperature of 313 K, a reaction time of 1 h, a catalyst/gasoline ratio of 0.25, and an oxidant percent of 0.5%. The catalyst was active in the desulfurization reaction under ultraviolet irradiation and reused 3 times with no loss in activity