Effect of Fe/Cu catalysts supported on zeolite/active carbon hybrid on bio-oil quality derived from catalytic pyrolysis of granular bacteria biomass

Abstract

Catalytic conversion of granular bacteria biomass to biofuel through pyrolysis was thoroughly studied. The hybrid of beta zeolite and active carbon (ZAC) resulted a support of catalyst with the BET surface area of 302 cm2/g. The highly active bimetallic Fe/Cu catalysts were prepared using wetness incipient impregnation on ZAC hybrid support (Fe5CuXZAC, X = 0.5, 1 and 2). To compare the activity of catalysts, catalytic pyrolysis tests of granular bacteria was performed. The pyrolysis tests in presence of Fe5Cu2ZAC remarkably decreased nitrogen compounds and total oxygenates of the bio-oil from 41.6 and 24.7 to 30.0 and 15.6 area%, respectively. Also, good selectivity of bimetallic Fe/Cu catalysts supported on ZAC toward aromatization reactions with the maximum yield for Fe5Cu2ZAC has made it a novel catalyst for pyrolytic conversion of granular bacteria biomass to aromatic hydrocarbons.The synthesized samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP), BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) techniques. The products were analyzed by a gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD), a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and CHNS. Temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) analysis was performed to study probable deposited carbon on the used catalysts.