A Strategy to Improve Porous MOF Structural Stability for the Effective Removal of S/N Pollutants from (Bio)fuels

The need to mitigate environmental pollution drives the continuous quest for advanced desulfurization and denitrogenation methods in refineries. The presence of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in fossil fuels and biofuels contributes largely to atmospheric polllution. Oxidative catalysis presents a promising way for addressing these challenges, offering efficient and environmental friendly pathways. This work investigates the heterogeneous catalytic performance of the polyoxometalates, plenary Keggin PW12 structure and the derivative lacunary PW11 structure, supported on the porous MIL-100(Fe) metal–organic framework, for simultaneous oxidative desulfurization and denitrogenation. Both PW11@MIL-100(Fe) and PW12@MIL-100(Fe) catalysts demonstrated rapid and complete desulfurization within 60 min of reaction using a sustainable H2O2 oxidant. Remarkably, PW11@MIL-100(Fe) exhibited higher catalytic efficiency and demonstrated high recycle capacity. In fact, notable results were attained to remove the most noxious pollutants in (bio)fuels, offering insights for the development of effective catalytic materials with high viability for the energy industry.