Nanocrystalline ZnCO3—A novel sorbent for low-temperature removal of H2S

Abstract The reactivity of a nanocrystalline ZnCO 3 toward H 2 S (0.2 vol% in N 2 /H 2 mixture) at 140–180 °C was characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis and by breakthrough curves measurements. We have found that under used conditions transformation of ZnCO 3 into ZnS is complete and the rate determining step of the sulfidation is the surface reaction. Such behavior is in strike contrast with that of ZnO whose sulfidation is severely limited by diffusion. The higher reactivity of ZnCO 3 in comparison with ZnO is attributed to the different microstructure of ZnS layer formed in these materials after a partial sulfidation. As in ZnO–ZnS transformation the molar volume increases (from 1…