A method for removing aromatic compounds from a hydrocarbon fluid comprises contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with a solid-phase polymeric material. The solid-phase polymeric material comprises a cross-linked polymer which contains aromatic groups. The method may be used to prevent the build-up of sludge and soot in a lubricant system in an internal combustion engine. A polymer bead comprising a solid-phase polymeric material is also provided.

The disclosure provides various methods for separating and recovering free fatty acids crude oil containing free fatty acids using certain ion-exchange resins to reduce the amount of free fatty acids in the crude oil to 3% or less such that the resultant oil is useable in downstream chemical processes. After separation and removal of the free fatty acids form the crude oil, the ion-exchange resin is reusable in further free fatty acid separation reactions.

Methods of forming a nanocomposite of a base material and a plurality of nanoparticles are provided. In embodiments, the method comprises combining a first input stream of flowing fluid comprising a base material having nucleation sites, a second input stream of flowing fluid comprising a nanoparticle precursor material, and a third input stream of flowing fluid comprising a nanoparticle nucleation agent, to form an output stream of flowing fluid; heating or sonicating or both heating and sonicating the output stream for a period of time; and collecting a nanocomposite formed within the fluid of the output stream, the nanocomposite comprising the base material and a plurality of nanoparticles directly anchored onto a surface of the base material via the nucleation sites. The nanocomposites are also provided.

The present invention relates to the use of adsorbents comprising zinc oxide nanowires decorated with catalytically active metal particles for the removal of sulfur from hydrocarbon feedstocks, including the desulfurization of diesel fuels and the deep desulfurization of natural gas, and to the use of decorated zinc oxide nanowire adsorbents for the hydrogenation of naphthalene selectively to tetralin in the presence of sulfur compounds. The adsorbent comprises nickel metal particles or nickel-zinc alloy particles deposited on zinc oxide nanowires.

Oleophilic-hydrophobic-magnetic (OHM) porous materials are provided. In embodiments, an OHM porous material comprises a porous substrate having a solid matrix defining a plurality of pores distributed through the solid matrix, the OHM porous material further comprising a coating of a nanocomposite on surfaces of the solid matrix. The nanocomposite comprises a multilayer stack of a plurality of layers of a two-dimensional, layered material having nucleation sites interleaved between a plurality of layers of magnetic nanoparticles, wherein individual layers of magnetic nanoparticles in the plurality of layers of magnetic nanoparticles are each directly anchored on a surface of a layer of the plurality of layers of the two-dimensional, layered material via the nucleation sites, and are each separated by multiple layers of the plurality of layers of the two-dimensional, layered material. Methods of making and using the OHM porous materials are also provided.

The disclosure provides various methods for separating and recovering free fatty acids crude oil containing free fatty acids using certain ion-exchange resins to reduce the amount of free fatty acids in the crude oil to 3% or less such that the resultant oil is useable in downstream chemical processes. After separation and removal of the free fatty acids form the crude oil, the ion-exchange resin is reusable in further free fatty acid separation reactions.

The present disclosure relates to a process to reduce total acid number (TAN) of a heat transfer fluid. The process comprises contacting the heat transfer fluid with an adsorbent composition at a temperature in the range of 50 C. to 350 C. and a pressure in the range of 1 bar to 10 bar to obtain a treated heat transfer fluid having total acid number (TAN) in the range of 0.003 to 0.03 and pH in the range of 6 to 7.5, wherein the adsorbent composition is provided in a fixed bed and the heat transfer fluid is passed through the fixed bed comprising the adsorbent composition at a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) in the range of 0.5 per hour to 10 per hour.

A method for removing aromatic compounds from a hydrocarbon fluid comprises contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with a solid-phase polymeric material. The solid-phase polymeric material comprises a cross-linked polymer which contains aromatic groups. The method may be used to prevent the build-up of sludge and soot in a lubricant system in an internal combustion engine. A polymer bead comprising a solid-phase polymeric material is also provided.

The present invention relates to the use of adsorbents comprising zinc oxide nanowires decorated with catalytically active metal particles for the removal of sulfur from hydrocarbon feedstocks, including the desulfurization of diesel fuels and the deep desulfurization of natural gas, and to the use of decorated zinc oxide nanowire adsorbents for the hydrogenation of naphthalene selectively to tetralin in the presence of sulfur compounds. The adsorbent comprises nickel metal particles or nickel-zinc alloy particles deposited on zinc oxide nanowires.

The present disclosure relates to a process to reduce total acid number (TAN) of a heat transfer fluid. The process comprises contacting the heat transfer fluid with an adsorbent composition at a temperature in the range of 50 C. to 350 C. and a pressure in the range of 1 bar to 10 bar to obtain a treated heat transfer fluid having total acid number (TAN) in the range of 0.003 to 0.03 and pH in the range of 6 to 7.5, wherein the adsorbent composition is provided in a fixed bed and the heat transfer fluid is passed through the fixed bed comprising the adsorbent composition at a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) in the range of 0.5 per hour to 10 per hour.