Patent ID: 7923410

Claim:
A method of producing a sorbent, comprising: heating under oxidizing conditions precipitated precursors of zinc oxide, aluminum oxide and iron oxide, wherein said precipitated precursors of zinc oxide, iron oxide, and aluminum oxide are Zn(NO 3 ) 2 , Fe(NO 3 ) 3 .9H 2 O, and Al(NO 3 ) 3 , respectively, wherein the precursor for aluminum oxide is present in a molar excess sufficient to react with substantially all of the precursor of zinc oxide and to produce free alumina, and wherein said precipitated precursors of zinc oxide and iron oxide are present in amounts sufficient that said sorbent has a composition comprising; a) zinc aluminate in an amount of at least about 40 wt % (calculated as ZnAl 2 O 4 ); b) free alumina in an amount of from about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % (calculated as Al 2 O 3 ); and c) iron oxide in an amount of from about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % (calculated as Fe 2 O 3 ).