Development of a bifunctional Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst for converting prairie cordgrass to hydrocarbon biofuel

ABSTRACTNi/HZSM-5 catalysts were prepared using the impregnation method. The HZSM-5 and impregnated Ni/HZSM-5 catalysts were characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and X-ray diffraction. The HZSM-5 and Ni/HZSM-5 catalysts were used for prairie cordgrass (PCG) thermal conversion in a two-stage catalytic pyrolysis system. The products contained gas, bio-oil, and bio-char. The gas and bio-oil were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry separately. Higher heating values and elemental composition of bio-char were determined. The results indicated that 12% Ni/HZSM-5 treatment yielded the highest amount of gasoline fraction for hydrocarbons and showed a robust ability to upgrade bio-oil vapor.