Exploring metal nanocomposites for asphaltene removal: the role of Cu-BTC, CoMn2O4 and K-OMS-2 in the adsorption and oxidation of asphaltenes

Abstract

Asphaltenes, the most polar and complex class of compounds in petroleum crude oils, pose significant challenges in refining processes due to their tendency to precipitate, causing fouling, clogging, and corrosion in pipelines and reactors. These issues are further increased by their solubility behaviour, making their removal difficult. The present study investigates the synthesis of metal nanocomposites focused on a metal–organic framework (Cu-BTC), a spinel oxide (CoMn2O4) and an octahedral molecular sieve (K-OMS-2) for the adsorption and oxidation of asphaltenes from model solutions. The prepared nanocomposites were characterised using FE-SEM, EDX, HR-TEM, FT-IR, XRD, and BET surface area analysis. Furthermore, they were tested for their ability to adsorb asphaltenes using batch adsorption studies, and the equilibrium data obtained were interpreted using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Redlich–Peterson, and Hill isotherm models. Thermodynamic studies were performed, and changes in enthalpy (ΔH0), entropy (ΔS0) and free energy (ΔG0) were determined from the data. Kinetic studies were conducted, and the data were analysed using pseudo-first-order (PFO), pseudo-second-order (PSO), Elovich, intraparticle diffusion, and Boyd diffusion models. Adsorption studies revealed that asphaltenes’ adsorption onto Cu-BTC was best explained by the Freundlich adsorption isotherm, while CoMn2O4 followed the Langmuir model and K-OMS-2 was governed by the Hill isotherm. The monolayer adsorption capacities of the prepared nanocomposites varied in the order: K-OMS-2 (245 mg g−1) > CoMn2O4 (77 mg g−1) > Cu-BTC (50 mg g−1). Kinetic studies indicated that the adsorption process was rapid, and the Boyd diffusion model suggested that the rate-limiting step was the external mass transfer of asphaltenes onto the adsorbent. CoMn2O4 exhibited the highest catalytic activity among the prepared nanocomposites for asphaltene oxidation, achieving a 140 °C reduction in oxidation temperature. The findings indicated that K-OMS-2 is an effective material for adsorption, while CoMn2O4 is efficient in the catalytic oxidation of asphaltenes.

Graphical abstract: Exploring metal nanocomposites for asphaltene removal: the role of Cu-BTC, CoMn2O4 and K-OMS-2 in the adsorption and oxidation of asphaltenes

Supplementary files

Transparent peer review

To support increased transparency, we offer authors the option to publish the peer review history alongside their article.

View this article’s peer review history

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Feb 2025
Accepted
13 Jun 2025
First published
16 Jun 2025
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Mater. Adv., 2025, Advance Article

Exploring metal nanocomposites for asphaltene removal: the role of Cu-BTC, CoMn2O4 and K-OMS-2 in the adsorption and oxidation of asphaltenes

A. Nayak, S. Viegas, N. Rajagopal, A. M. Rodrigues, H. Dasari and N. Sundarabal, Mater. Adv., 2025, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D5MA00106D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications, without requesting further permission from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given and it is not used for commercial purposes.

To request permission to reproduce material from this article in a commercial publication, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party commercial publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements