Abstract
This work showcases an innovative route for biocompound upgrading via hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactions, eliminating the need for external high-pressure hydrogen supply. We propose the use of water as reaction media and the utilization of multifunctional catalysts that are able to conduct multiple steps such as water activation and HDO. In this study, we validate our hypothesis in a high-pressure batch reactor process using guaiacol as a model compound and multicomponent Ni-based catalysts. In particular, a comparison between ceria-supported and carbon/ceria-supported samples is established, the carbon-based materials being the suitable choice for this reaction. The physicochemical study by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and temperature-programmed reduction reveals the greater dispersion of Ni clusters and the strong metal-support interaction in the carbon/ceria-based samples accounting for the enhanced performance. In addition, the characterization of the spent samples points out the resistance of our catalysts toward sintering and coking. Overall, the novel catalytic approach proposed in this paper opens new research possibilities to achieve low-cost bio-oil upgrading processes.
Highlights
The rapid depletion of fossil fuel encourages energy research towards seeking environmentally friendly and sustainable resources to satisfy the increasing energy demand.[1]
The catalysts have been carefully characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N2-adsorption
Redox properties and information concerning metal-support interactions were studied by H2-temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) analysis
Summary
The rapid depletion of fossil fuel encourages energy research towards seeking environmentally friendly and sustainable resources to satisfy the increasing energy demand.[1]. High oxygen content (up to 47 wt %)[4] leads to an adverse effect on the chemical and physical properties of bio-oil, such as low energy density, high corrosivity, thermal and chemical instability, and so forth, compared to conventional fossil fuels.[5,6] In order to address these problems, catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) technology was proposed as a standard route to effectively conduct bio-oil upgrading. In this process, oxygen is removed in the form of water with the participation of high-pressure H2 (eq 1).[7]
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