Gaseous mercury capture using Bi2S3 nanorods decorated ZSM-5 with superior sulfur resistance

Zeolite ZSM-5, as a crystalline microporous material, has attracted widespread interest in diverse research areas because of its big specific surface area, high thermal stability, and shape selectivity. Here, xBi2S3/ZSM-5 compounds is easily synthesized using a molten salt method and employed to capture elemental mercury in the temperature range of 60–260°C. Pristine ZSM-5 displays a weak Hg0 adsorption capability. Bi2S3 decoration can greatly reinforce the mercury adsorption capability of ZSM-5 due to addition of active sulfide species. 20Bi2S3/ZSM-5 with 20 wt% Bi2S3 loading value performs optimally toward Hg° capture associated with a mercury removing efficiency of 90.8–96.5% within 100–140°C. In addition, 20Bi2S3/ZSM-5 is nearly impervious to NO and SO2 with respect to mercury removal. One-dimensional nanorod structure of Bi2S3 and big specific surface area of ZSM-5 probably account for the superior mercury capture performance of xBi2S3/ZSM-5 compounds.