Hydrodeoxygenation Pathway Research Articles

Renewable Diesel Production over Mo-Ni Catalysts Supported on Silica

Nickel catalysts promoted with Mo and supported on silica were studied for renewable diesel production from triglyceride biomass, through the selective deoxygenation process. The catalysts were prepared by wet co-impregnation of the SiO2 with different Ni/(Ni + Mo) atomic ratios (0/0.84/0.91/0.95/0.98/1) and a total metal content equal to 50%. They were characterized by XRD, XPS, N2 physisorption, H2-TPR, and NH3-TPD. Evaluation of the catalysts for the transformation of sunflower oil to renewable (green) diesel took place in a high-pressure semi-batch reactor, under solvent-free conditions. A very small addition of Mo, namely the synergistic Ni/(Ni + Mo) atomic ratio equal to 0.95, proved to be the optimum one for a significant enhancement of the catalytic performance of the metallic Ni/SiO2 catalyst, achieving 98 wt.% renewable diesel production. This promoting action of Mo has been attributed to the significant increase of the metallic Ni active phase surface area, the suitable regulation of surface acidity, the acceleration of the hydro-deoxygenation pathway (HDO), the creation of surface oxygen vacancies, and the diminution of coke formation provoked by Mo addition.

Evaluation of anisole hydrodeoxygenation reaction pathways over a Ni/Al2O3 catalyst

Anisole is a model molecule for studying hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignin-derived oxygenates. Here we elucidate its HDO pathway over 10 % Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. Adsorption experiments showed that anisole is adsorbed on the acidic sites of the Al2O3. Anisole adsorption at 200–300 °C is reactive in nature, and results in its demethylation. The catalyst was tested at 100–300 °C, 5–40 bar H2 pressure. Conversion of 78 % was obtained at 5 bar and 300 °C, restricted by hydrogenation-dehydrogenation equilibrium. HDO mainly starts through the ring-hydrogenation pathway. This is followed by demethoxylation beyond 180 °C. At 5–12 bar, cyclohexane dehydrogenates to benzene. This was confirmed by conducting an HDO experiment with methoxycyclohexane. At lower pressure deoxygenation is favored; and demethylation is accompanied with methylation of the aromatic ring, for temperature >260 °C. Investigation of the initial reaction stages showed that anisole HDO on Ni/Al2O3 catalyst proceeds via two independent pathways i.e., reactive adsorption/(de)methylation and aromatic ring hydrogenation.

A first-principles study on the hydrodeoxygenation mechanism of the lignin-derived phenolic compounds over MoS2 catalysts

Understanding the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) mechanism of phenolic compounds is crucial for advancing catalytic upgrading techniques of bio-oil. Herein, a comprehensive theoretical study of the HDO of lignin-derived phenolic compounds (phenol, cresols, and guaiacol) on the MoS2 surface was carried out using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Adsorption of phenolic compounds on different crystal faces was first compared. The MoS2 (100) crystal face is more favorable for the adsorption of phenolic compounds which show the horizontal adsorption configurations. Three kinds of HDO patterns were explored for the phenolic compounds. Phenol tends to transform into benzene via stepwise deoxygenation and hydrogenation under the induction of active hydrogen. For cresol isomers, their HDO mechanisms differ from each other due to the influence of the methyl group on the dehydroxylation process. Specifically, o-cresol follows a synergistic process of deoxidation and hydrogenation, m-cresol undergoes a two-step reaction involving direct dehydroxylation and hydrogenation, and p-cresol involves the identical HDO pathway as phenol. With regard to guaiacol, the preferred HDO route involves successive dehydroxylation and demethoxylation to benzene with the anisole intermediate. In addition, the adsorption of phenolics over transition metal-doped MoS2 catalysts was further explored to examine the potential of metal doping for the HDO of phenolics. The doping of Ta and W increases the adsorption capacity, which shows the potential to enhance the HDO activity of the catalyst theoretically.

FexNiy/ SiO2-Al2O3 catalyzed hydrodeoxygenation of biorenewable platform molecules

A series of FexNiy/SA (SA = SiO2-Al2O3) catalysts were synthesized via solvothermal assisted deposition precipitation synthesis method and explored for low-temperature hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction of methyl oleate into n-alkanes and vegetable oils. A comprehensive study on the effects of increasing iron oxide loading in catalyst samples, i.e., Fe1Ni1/SA, Fe3Ni1/SA, Fe5Ni1/SA and Fe7Ni1/SA, on the crystallographic, morphological, textual and surface chemical behavioural were investigated thoroughly using various spectroscopic techniques. The study disclosed excellent surface area, high acidic strength and reducibility of Fe1Ni1/SA catalyst due to the lowest Fe2+ or FeO species. In contrast, higher iron oxide loading leads to the accumulation of Fe2+ ions on the surface with reduced metal acid centres and diminished surface area. The catalytic conversion as well as C17-C18 selectivity in catalytic HDO was also scrutinised with particular reference to Fe2+/Fe3+ ion ratio. The obtained superior catalytic activity and C18 selectivity of Fe1Ni1/SA catalyst are due to the lowest Fe2+/Fe3+ ion ratio. However, the iron oxide loading increased the Fe2+/Fe3+ ion ratio, which ultimately decreased the catalytic activity. Thus, the role of Fe2+ species in the deactivation of catalyst was discussed in detail to establish conversion and selectivity control in the catalytic HDO pathway.

Analysis of palm oil hydrodeoxygenation pathway selectivity based on oxygen quantification

Hydrogenation of palm oil over commercial NiMo/γ-Al2O3 catalysts and the effect of operating conditions were investigated in an autoclave with a continuous H2 flow mode. Methanation as the side reactions were taken into account in the reaction path selectivity for the first time. Three competing reaction pathways of hydrodecarboxylation, hydrocarbonation, and direct hydrodeoxygenation were clearly distinguished by quantifying the oxygen in the aqueous, organic, and gas phases. The results corroborated that the temperature and hydrogen supply were crucial to oxygen removal and the selectivity of the HDO pathways. Methane is the predominant gas product rather than propane during triglyceride deoxygenation, in which 87–100% of the methane production comes from the glycerol skeleton of the triglyceride and the rest comes from the CO methanation. Lower temperature favored the direct HDO route, while the selectivity of the HDCO and HDCO2 reactions preferred a higher temperature. HDO dominated the hydrodeoxygenation process under all H2 supply conditions, followed by the HDCO2 pathway and the HDCO reaction. This study brings the understanding of the vegetable oil triglyceride hydrodeoxygenation process to the molecular level and can potentially guide the optimization of process conditions.

Effects of CeO2, TiO2, and TiO2-CeO2 Supports on Catalytic Performance of Ni2P in Hydrodeoxygenation of Anisole

This work examined the effects of supports for nickel phosphide (Ni2P) catalysts on anisole hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) using synthesized CeO2, TiO2, and TiO2-CeO2 supports and commercial supports (denoted as CeO2-L and TiO2-L) along with bulk Ni2P. Characterization revealed that Ni2P nanoparticles were well dispersed on the synthesized CeO2. Ni2P/CeO2 exhibited the highest activity on a catalyst weight basis among those Ni2P on synthesized supports as well as the common materials such as SiO2, Al2O3, and activated carbon. Ni2P/TiO2-CeO2 (at a Ti/Ce molar ratio of 0.98) afforded superior reactivity to Ni2P/CeO2 based on turnover frequency (TOF, h–1), which points to more active sites on Ni2P/TiO2-CeO2 than on Ni2P/CeO2. The TOF of anisole on catalysts decreased in the following order: Ni2P/Ti0.98Ce0.02O2 > Ni2P/TiO2 > Ni2P/CeO2 > bulk Ni2P. The type of supports employed for Ni2P also influenced the product distributions and thus HDO pathways. Ni2P/CeO2 favored benzene selectivity, and this may be related to the relative electron enrichment on the Niδ+ site of Ni2P/CeO2 that facilitated benzene desorption from the catalyst surface after demethoxylation of anisole. Ni2P/TiO2-CeO2 exhibited significantly higher cyclohexane selectivity, which may be attributed to the lower electron density on Niδ+ of Ni2P/TiO2-CeO2 and the acidity of binary support, promoting the deep hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane. The presence of phenol when Ni2P/TiO2 and Ni2P/TiO2-CeO2 were employed in anisole HDO could be correlated with the acidity of TiO2, which led to methylation of anisole. Adding a small amount of CeO2 in TiO2 and using it as support synergistically improved the TOF and suppressed phenol formation while increasing cyclohexane selectivity. Both Ni2P/CeO2 and Ni2P/TiO2-CeO2 are promising catalysts in anisole HDO for the tunable target products of benzene and cyclohexane, respectively.

Catalytic Hydrotreatment of Algal HTL Bio‐Oil over Phosphide, Nitride, and Sulfide Catalysts

AbstractGlobal energy demand and environmental concerns about limiting CO2 emissions have been growing recently. This is why fuel production from renewable resources has become a priority. In this context, microalgae represent an attractive alternative carbon source. In this work, different supported catalysts, including metal phosphide, nitride, and sulfide, were tested for the hydroconversion of bio‐oil issued from the hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae. Supported Ni phosphide catalysts promoted the decarboxylation and decarbonylation route, while NiMo nitride promoted the hydrodeoxygenation pathway. NiW sulfide catalysts were the most performant, producing a hydrotreated oil with the best higher heating value (HHV), lower aromaticity degree, and lower average molar mass. Among sulfide catalysts, NiWS/SiO2−Al2O3 was the least active, probably due to the inhibition of acid sites by the nitrogen compounds. However, NiWS/Al2O3 performed better, showing high hydrogenation performances, which contributed to the conversion of refractory compounds.

Mo promoted Ni-ZrO2 co-precipitated catalysts for green diesel production

The promoting action of Mo-species was studied for Ni-ZrO2 co-precipitated catalysts with high nickel loading used in the transformation of sunflower oil into green diesel. The catalysts were thoroughly characterized and evaluated using a high-pressure semi-batch reactor. The significant promoting action of molybdenum species was clearly demonstrated concerning the Ni-ZrO2 catalysts as Mo addition resulted in almost duplication of green diesel yield (from 35.2 to 68.4 %). This is manifested through the acceleration of the hydrodeoxygenation pathway of the reaction network. The increase of the activation temperature increases further the catalytic efficiency of the promoted catalysts resulting in 70.1 % green diesel yield. The promoting action of molybdenum was partly attributed to the increase of the specific surface area and the metallic nickel surface brought about by molybdenum but, principally, to a synergy between the oxygen vacancies developed on the very well dispersed Mo-species - and the nickel surface sites.

Efficient deoxygenation of methyl esters to hydrocarbons on Al2O3 supported Ni-Sn intermetallic compounds

Al2O3 supported Ni-Sn alloy (Ni/Sn atomic ratio of 6) and Ni3Sn, Ni3Sn2 and Ni3Sn4 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were prepared by co-precipitation method for the deoxygenation of fatty acid methyl esters to produce hydrocarbons. In comparison with metallic Ni, the catalytic evaluation and methyl propionate-TPD/TPSR results reveal that Ni-Sn IMCs remarkably inhibit the decarbonylation/decarboxylation pathway, C-C bond hydrogenolysis and methanation while promote the hydrodeoxygenation pathway, subsequently enhancing the yield of aiming hydrocarbons. Therein, 20%Ni3Sn2/Al2O3 has the best performance, and the hydrocarbons yield reach about 99% in the deoxygenation of methyl octanoate and methyl palmitate. We suggest that the geometric and electronic effects of Sn contribute the excellent performance of Ni-Sn IMCs, and there is synergetic effect between Ni and Sn sites for the activation of C-O/C=O bond, for which a suitable Ni-Sn atomic spacing is very important. Finally, the catalyst stability and deactivation were also investigated.

Preparation of Metal-Acid bifunctional catalyst Ni/ZSM-22 for palmitic acid catalytic deoxygenation

In this work, methods employing ethanol for dispersion as well as precursor combination by rotary evaporation were combined to produce Ni-based ZSM-22 catalysts. The catalytic activity in palmitic acid deoxygenation over Ni/Z22@E was enhanced compared with that of the wet-impregnated method. The conversion of palmitic acid reached 98.9 %, in which C16/C15 alkane was as high as 4.07. The Ni species on the surface of catalysts showed strong stability so that not susceptible to inactivation by coking or leaching. In addition, the mechanism and kinetics of the palmitic acid deoxygenation reaction were analyzed. The results showed that the ethanol dehydration reaction was the most difficult to occur, and the high C16 alkanes selectivity can be attributed to the low activation energy of the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) pathway. Both experimental and kinetics calculation results suggested that there may be a mechanistic change in the fatty acid deoxygenation reaction at around 240 °C that resulted in a large increase in the hydrodecarboxylation (HDX) pathway. Based on this, selected adjustments of the products were proposed for fatty alcohols below 220 °C, C16 alkanes between 260 and 280 °C, and C15 alkanes above 280 °C.

The promotion effects of MoOx species in the highly effective NiMo/MgAl2O4 catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation of methyl palmitate

The hydrodeoxygenation of methyl palmitate into long-chain hydrocarbon is one of the most effective technologies for the production of alternative bio-diesel. But the development of non-sulphided Ni based catalysts with high hexadecane yield and excellent catalytic stability is still a challenge. In this work, a series of Ni/MgAl2O4, Mo/MgAl2O4 and NiMo/MgAl2O4 catalysts are prepared by the wetness impregnated method. The physical-chemical property and catalytic performance for the hydrodeoxygenation of methyl palmitate of all catalysts are investigated. The characteristic results indicate that Ni-MoOx composites with metallic Ni covered by the MoOx species are formed for NiMo/MgAl2O4 catalysts. The introduction of MoOx reduces the size of bimetallic particles and the electron transfer from Ni to MoOx improves the H-spillover effect. Furthermore, more oxygen vacancies and acid sites of NiMo/MgAl2O4 catalysts effectively promote the production of hexadecane via the hydrodeoxygenation pathway. Owing to these modifications, NiMo/MgAl2O4 reveal significantly improved catalytic performance and the Ni1Mo1/MgAl2O4 catalyst with Ni/Mo mass ratio of 1:1 demonstrates the highest pentadecane and hexadecane total yield of 92.0%. Additionally, the C15/C16 molar ratio over the Ni1Mo1/MgAl2O4 catalyst is only 1.63, suggesting enhanced hydrodeoxygenation pathway and less carbon emission. Moreover, the long-term test of 60 h indicates that the Ni1Mo1/MgAl2O4 catalyst reveals excellent catalytic stability due to the less carbon deposition and more stable support structure. Therefore, this work has provided an effective method for the design of Ni based catalysts for the production of the green diesel.

Influence of NiMoP phase on hydrodeoxygenation pathways of jatropha oil

This work investigates the conversion pathway of jatropha oil to C16 + C18 by a one-pot method regulated by different moles of phosphorus and supports. Preferential direct deoxygenation is of interest for the carbon atom economy. Herein, SAPO-11, ZSM-5, and Zr-SBA-15 as supports, a series of nickel molybdenum phosphide catalysts were prepared, characterized, and used to hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of jatropha oil in an autoclave. Our results showed that different supports affect the formation of the active phase of nickel molybdenum phosphide and its acid sites, thus affecting the catalytic performance, resulting in different HDO pathway ratios. The HDO pathway ratios of different n(Ni–Mo)/n(P) catalysts on the same support differed. Compared with the NiMo catalysts, the NiMoP2/Zr-SBA-15 catalyst showed the most remarkable HDO performance, with C15 + C17/C16 + C18 decreasing from 6.95 to 2.24. The presence of P in the catalyst promotes direct deoxygenation, while inhibiting decarboxylation and decarbonylation. In addition, the NiMoP phase exhibited excellent catalytic activity, with more than 90% deoxidization. Refined oil contains high levels of jet fuel components, with C8–C16 alkanes account for more than 50% and naphthenes reaching more than 20%. The catalysts were tested at 360 °C, 30 bar, and 4 h, and results showed that the NiMoP phase plays an important role in inhibiting coke deposition on the catalyst.

WOx promoted nickel catalyst for hydrodeoxygenation of m-cresol

The effect of decorating the surface of a Ni catalyst with WOx on its activity and selectivity for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of m-cresol was investigated. The reaction of m-cresol in the presence of H2 over an unmodified Ni/C catalyst produced both toluene and methylcyclohexane as well as a range of non-HDO products in which the ring had been hydrogenated. This catalyst was also active for C-C bond hydrogenolysis at temperatures above 600 K. In contrast, modifying the Ni with a sub-monolayer amount of WOx deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD) enhanced the m-cresol HDO selectivity with toluene and methylcyclohexane being the only products produced indicating that the reaction proceeds via direct HDO pathway on this catalyst. XPS in this and previous studies indicate that synergistic interactions between the WOx and the Ni help maintain a high concentration of oxygen vacancies in the monolayer WOx species which are the active sites for the HDO reaction.

Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of oleochemical waste oil into paraffins using iron molybdate (Fe-Mo-O) catalyst

The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of 1-dodecanol (C12 fatty alcohol) in oleochemical waste oil was investigated in a continuous fixed-bed reactor using Fe-Mo-O catalyst between 200-300°C, 10-20 bars, and at fixed GHSV of 5121 hr -1. The characterization of the product components was analyzed by GC-MS and further quantified by GC-FID to evaluate the effect of temperature and pressure on the HDO of 1-dodecanol to paraffin such as dodecane and lower carbon number of hydrocarbons. The reaction temperature is the most critical operating parameter that affects the performance of the HDO reaction. Conversion of 1-dodecanol increased up to 98.5% with increasing reaction temperature, while at 250°C, the dodecane selectivity was the highest. Two distinct HDO pathways were distinguished: dehydration-hydrogenation (Path 1) and dehydrogenation-decarbonylation/decarboxylation (Path 2). The high temperature and low pressure of the HDO promoted Path 2 route to produce paraffin with a lower carbon number from the reactant. The selectivity of dodecane was low, probably due to the cracking process that occurred at 300°C. The conversion of 1-dodecanol decreased with the increasing pressure, while dodecane’s production rate follows the reverse trend of the conversion. High pressure of HDO promoted Path 1 route due to the higher selectivity of dodecane. In conclusion, the optimal temperature and pressure for HDO of oleochemical waste oil over Fe-Mo-O catalyst are 250°C and 20 bars, which gave the highest conversion towards dodecane and C12 paraffin.

Techno-economic analysis of Camelina-derived hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel within the US context

This study explores the techno-economic analysis of producing Camelina-derived Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet (HRJ) fuel in Montana using the hydro-deoxygenation (HDO) pathway. The HDO method requires added hydrogen and increases cost. The estimated breakeven price of Camelina-derived HRJ fuel generated from the HDO reaction follows the UOP Honeywell procedure. Oilseed cultivation, lipid extraction, and HRJ fuel production were evaluated to estimate the HRJ fuel breakeven price. In an extraction facility with annual processing capacity of 3000 Mg, the breakeven price of Camelina oil was $0.35 per liter over a 20-year operating period and $0.34 per liter over a 30-year period. For a 20-year operating period, the deterministic breakeven price of HRJ fuel was $0.87 per liter with a commercial hydrogen and $1.01 per liter when the plant generated its own hydrogen supply; a 30-year operating period had $0.02 per liter savings. The sensitivity analysis indicates a breakeven price between $0.87 and $1.44 per liter in a facility with an on-site hydrogen plant, and between $0.75 and $1.26 per liter when purchasing hydrogen. An additional $0.02 per liter of capital investment cost is incurred to produce HRJ fuel instead of renewable diesel. Depending on the fuel product, investors would have a capital cost penalty of $0.13 to $0.15 per liter for producing hydrogen on-site.

Identification of electron-rich mononuclear Ni atoms on TiO2-A distinguished from Ni particles on TiO2-R in guaiacol hydrodeoxygenation pathways

Electron-rich mononuclear Ni atoms located at the oxygen vacancies on TiO2-A are the active sites for selective hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol to phenolics, while the reduced Ni particles on TiO2-R catalyze hydrogenative aromatic ring saturation.

An efficient catalytic transfer hydrogenation-hydrodeoxygenation of lignin derived monomers: Investigating catalyst properties-activity correlation

Reduction of O/C ratio of lignin derived monomers via hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) pathway is conventionally furnished using molecular hydrogen under severe conditions. Nonetheless, due to a prerequisite to accomplish HDO through commercially attractive methodology we report, HDO reactions of various phenolic compounds via catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) pathway using very low loading of Ru (0.5 wt%) on neutral and acidic Al2O3 under nitrogen atmosphere. With guaiacol as a substrate, 74% cyclohexanol yield at 225 °C in the presence of IPA is realized. Bi-functionality of metal state, acidity of support and nature of alcohol are perceived to be responsible for the variation in activity.

Hydrodeoxygenation of bio-oil and model compounds for production of chemical materials at atmospheric pressure over nickel-based zeolite catalysts

ABSTRACT Nickel-based zeolite (HY, HBeta, MCM-41-γ-Al2O3 and MCM-41-HBeta) catalysts were prepared by impregnating using Fe and Ga. The prepared nickel-based zeolite catalysts were characterized by N2 sorption studies, X-ray diffraction, NH3-temperature programmed desorption and scanning electron microscope. The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) performance of the prepared catalysts were evaluated using guaiacol (GUA) as a bio-oil model compound in a fixed bed. Results showed that GaNi/MCM-41-HBeta had a high selectivity for the target products of benzene and its derivatives. Moreover, the HDO pathways of GUA were analyzed, which provided a reference for the bio-oil HDO. HDO experiments of bio-oil showed that the hydrocarbon content and yield of GaNi/MCM-41-HBeta reached a maximum value of 93.31% (light oil), 35.39% (light oil), 92.11% (heavy oil) and 46.90% (heavy oil), respectively. The contents of benzene and its derivatives in the upgraded oils were 28.16% (light oil) and 30.03% (heavy oil), respectively.

Mechanistic and thermodynamic insights into the deoxygenation of palm oils using Ni2P catalyst: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Deoxygenation (DX) is a key enhancement process for biomass-derived biofuel production. To understand the DX mechanism of palm oils, we performed experimental and computational studies to investigate the DX reaction of palmitic acid on Ni2P catalyst. Experimental characterization and catalytic testing demonstrated that the DX on unsupported (0 0 1)-Ni2P catalyst prefers the decarbonylation (DCO) pathway over the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) pathway with the ratios between 2.17 and 4.13 to 1. Mechanistic study using density functional theory calculation revealed that the DX of butyric acid also prefers DCO over HDO pathway. Both experimental and computational results suggested that the decarboxylation (DCO2) pathway is unlikely. The computation results indicated that the rate-limiting step of HDO pathway is in the butanol to butane conversion (activation energy Ea = 1.99 eV), whereas that of the DCO pathway is found during the butanal to propane conversion (Ea = 1.52 eV). However, additional thermodynamic analysis accounting for hydrotreating reaction condition (H2 = 50 bars at 653 K) suggested that the rate-determining step for the DCO pathway is actually the hydrogenation of butyric acid. In addition, the thermodynamics analysis also suggests that increasing reaction temperature may increase selectivity of HDO pathway. The mechanistic insights gained from this study will be beneficial for the enhancement of DX process for biofuel production.

Synergistic effects between Cu and Ni species in NiCu/γ-Al2O3 catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation of methyl laurate

Cu was introduced into Ni/γ-Al2O3 to prepare mesoporous NixCuy/γ-Al2O3 catalysts with different Ni and Cu contents. H2-TPR, XRD, BET, H2-TPD, and in-situ XPS were used to study the physicochemical properties of the prepared NixCuy/γ-Al2O3 catalysts. The catalytic performances of NixCuy/γ-Al2O3 catalysts were evaluated by methyl laurate catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction. The NixCuyO/γ-Al2O3 precursors can be reduced to Ni0, Cu0, and NiCu alloy active species by H2 at 420°C. Formed NiCu alloy can effectively promote the electronic effect between Ni and Cu, and enhance the adsorption and activation abilities of the corresponding catalyst for the reactant molecules. The Ni active sites preferentially catalyzes the decarbonylation/carboxyl (DCO) reaction in the deoxygenation of methyl laurate, while the HDO pathway is predominant on the Cu active sites. The deoxygenation pathway obviously changes from DCO to HDO at the mole ratio of Ni/Cu lower than 3/7, and the main deoxygenation products change from C11 to C12 alkane. At the H2/Oil ratio of 500N, the space velocity (SV) of 1.5 h−1, H2 pressure(P) of 2 MPa, and the reaction temperature of 380°C, the Ni3Cu7/γ-Al2O3 catalyst shows the best methyl laurate DCO properties. And methyl laurate conversion and the main deoxygenation products C11 alkane selectivity can reach 98.3 and 87.4%, respectively. Moreover, Ni3Cu7/γ-Al2O3 catalyst also exhibits good stability.