Patent ID: 7094333

Claim:
A method for removing at least one of thiophene and thiophene compounds from liquid fuel, the method comprising the step of: contacting the liquid fuel with a dehydrated adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the at least one of thiophene and thiophene compounds, at a selected temperature and pressure, thereby producing a non-adsorbed component and a thiophene/thiophene compound-rich adsorbed component, wherein the dehydrated adsorbent includes at least one of a metal and a metal cation, the at least one of metal and metal cation adapted to form π-complexation bonds with the at least one of thiophene and thiophene compounds, and wherein the preferential adsorption occurs by π-complexation, wherein the at least one of metal and metal cation comprises at least one of Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Ga 3+ , Pd 0 , Ag + , and Cd 2+ wherein prior to contacting the liquid fuel with the dehydrated adsorbent, the method further comprising pretreating an adsorbent to form the dehydrated adsorbent, the pretreatment process comprising the steps of: activating the adsorbent at a temperature between about 250° C. and about 600° C. in at least one of a dry air atmosphere, air, an inert atmosphere and a reducing atmosphere for an amount of time ranging between about 5 hours and about 20 hours; and then cooling the adsorbent in at least one of a dry air atmosphere, air, and inert atmosphere.