Synthesis of Ni-Mo-N catalysts for removing oxygen from acetophenone

Ni-Mo-N precursor was synthesized via a complexation reaction using nickel acetate, ammonium molybdate and hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) as starting materials and then heat-treated at high temperature in hydrogen atmosphere to obtain the final catalyst. The effects of preparation conditions such as Ni/Mo molar ratio and treatment temperature on the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) activity were studied by taking acetophenone as a carboxide in bio-oil. 100% Conversion with a 99.1% selectivity of ethylbenzene was achieved after reaction at 150 degrees C for 1 h. The deoxygenation degree was further enhanced by increasing the reaction temperature and hydrogen pressure. The high activity of Ni-Mo-N catalyst was attributed to the formation of Ni2Mo3N phase. During the reusability test, acetophenone conversion on Ni-Mo-N catalyst was almost unchanged, but the deoxygenation degree was slightly lowered with the increase of recycle number, which was mainly caused by the nitrogen loss.