The dry sulfur-removal process is essential to provide suitable syngas treatment for the oxy-fuel integrated gasification combined cycle power generation plant. It is required that the dry sulfur -removal process to be durable to the carbon deposition due to syngas containing high concentration of carbon monoxide in addition to achieve sufficient performance for sulfur removal. Zinc ferrite sorbent is the most promising candidate for the dry sulfur -removal process. The sorbent was improved to enhance durability to the carbon deposition by modifying preparation. The improved sorbent was prepared from sulfates as the raw materials of zinc ferrite, while the former sorbent was using nitrates as the raw materials. The improved sorbent as well as the former sorbent were evaluated on the performance and carbon deposition tendency in oxy-fuel syngas condition in a fixed bed reactor at elevated pressure and temperature. The results expressed that the improved sorbent has higher desulfurization performance and durability to carbon deposition in the condition expected for cyclic operation of the sulfur-removal process in comparison with the former sorbent. The improved sorbent possessed the superior desulfurization performance as well as the capability for inhibit carbon deposition in the oxy-fuel syngas conditions. The results confirmed the enhanced feasibility of the dry sulfur-removal process by utilizing the improved sorbent. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.