Study of catalytic hydrodeoxygenation performance of Ni catalysts: Effects of prepared method

Abstract Ni-HT, Ni-ST, Ni-PC, and Ni-CA catalysts were synthesized using hard-template, soft-template, co-precipitation, and complex methods, respectively, characterized by XRD, BET, H 2 -TPR, and H 2 -TPD technology. The catalytic hydrodeoxygenation performance of the prepared Ni catalysts was evaluated by using ethyl acetate as the model compound. The prepared Ni catalyst activities are in the following order: Ni-HT > Ni-ST > Ni-PC > Ni-CA. Ni-HT and Ni-ST catalysts have developed pore structure; they show large specific surface area of 90.2 and 45.4 m 2 /g, respectively. The active phase of the catalyst is well dispersed, the active sites are widely distributed, thereby promoting the effective activation for reactant molecules. Ethyl acetate can be completely converted over Ni-HT and Ni-ST catalysts at 300 °C and 320 °C, respectively, and the ethane selectivity reaches 97.8% and 97.2%. Ni-PC and Ni-CA catalysts are mainly composed of dense particles, and have low specific surface areas of 11.2 and 2.4 m 2 /g, respectively. The crystallinity of the active phase is poor, the activation ability for the hydrogen molecule is obviously weaker than that of Ni-HT and Ni-ST catalysts. Ethyl acetate can be completely converted with the activity of Ni-PC and Ni-CA catalysts at 360 °C and 380 °C, and the ethane selectivity reached 96.7% and 93.5%, respectively.