Sulfated zirconium oxide-decorated magnetite KCC-1 as a durable and recyclable adsorbent for the efficient removal of asphaltene from crude oil.

Sulfated zirconium oxide (ZrO/SO ) as a highly durable acidic reagent was immobilized on magnetite KCC-1 nanoparticles (FeO@SiO/KCC-1@ZrO/SO NPs), and the resulting hybrid was used as a highly efficient recyclable adsorbent for the adsorption and removal of asphaltene from crude oil. The presence of ZrO/SO groups not only promotes the adsorption capacity, but also helps recycle the adsorbents without any significant efficiency loss arising from its high chemical resistance. The results showed an obvious synergistic effect between the magnetic core (FeO NPs), fibrous silica (KCC-1) and the sulfated zirconium oxide groups with high correlation for asphaltene adsorption.