Deep catalytic hydroconversion of straw-derived bio-oil to alkanes over mesoporous zeolite Y supported nickel nanoparticles

A supported nickle catalyst was prepared by loading ca. 11% of nickel nanoparticles (NNPs) on mesoporous zeolite Y (MZY) and denoted as Ni-11%/MZY. A straw was methanolyzed at 300 degrees C to obtain methanol-soluble portion as a straw-derived bio-oil (SDBO) in the yield of 19.3%. According to the analysis with a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer, SDBO consists of arenes (7.8%), oxygen-containing organic compounds (82.8%), nitrogen-containing organic compounds (6.3%), and sulfur-containing organic compounds (3.1%). It was subjected to catalytic hydroconversion (CHC) over Ni-11%/MZY in n-hexane under 5 MPa of initial hydrogen pressure (IHP) at 160 degrees C for 16 h. As a result, all the compounds in SDBO were converted to chain alkanes (60.1%) and cyclanes (39.9%). In Ni-11%/MZY, uniformly dispersed NNPs and strong Lewis acid sites in the defective crystal texture of MYZ play crucial roles in hydrogenating aromatic rings and removing heteroatoms (HAs), respectively. Benzyloxybenzene (BOB) was used as a lignin-related model compound. The main product from the CHC of BOB over Ni-11%/MZY in n-hexane under 5 MPa of IHP at 160 degrees C for 2 h is methylcyclohexane in the yield of 90.9%, indicating that both hydrogenation of benzene rings and deoxygenation significantly proceeded. After being recycled 4 times, Ni-11%/MZY is still active for the CHC of BOB. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Through catalytic hydroconversion over a supported nickel catalyst, compounds in straw-derived bio-oil were converted into chain alkanes and cycloalkanes; Uniformly dispersed nickel nanoparticles and strong Lewis acid sites in Ni-11%/MZY play crucial roles in removing heteroatoms and hydrogenating aromatic rings; The catalyst exhibits good stability and activity for the catalytic hydroconversion of benzyloxybenzene after being recycled multiple times.