Catalytic Deoxygenation of Stearic Acid and Palmitic Acid in Semibatch Mode

Abstract

The deoxygenation experiments of different reactants, i.e., pure palmitic acid, stearic acid, and a technical grade stearic acid containing a mixture of 59% of palmitic and 40% of stearic acid were successfully performed over 4 wt% Pd/C mesoporous catalyst at 300 °C under 17 bar of 5% H2 in argon. The main product in catalytic deoxygenation of saturated fatty acids, C16 and C18, were aliphatic chain length hydrocarbons containing one less carbon than the corresponding acid. Additionally it was found that the deoxygenation rates of different reactant were independent on carbon chain length of its fatty acids.