ZnO–Al2O3 mixed oxides were synthesized using a cation–anion double hydrolysis method.
Mixed oxide based adsorbents exhibited high activity and large sulfur capacity in reactive adsorption desulfurization.
The absence of the inactive NiAl2O4 phase in the adsorbents allowed the fast cleavage of C–S bond in thiophene.
The high concentration of surface Lewis acid sites in mixed oxides favored the adsorption of thiophene.
The high dispersion of ZnO in mixed oxides led to high diffusion rate of sulfur in ZnO particles.