Effect of nickel loading approaches on the structure and hydrodeoxygenation performance of Ni/Al-SBA-15

Lignocellulosic biomass-derived bio-oil is considered as a promising renewable biofuel. In this paper, incipient wetness impregnation method, ammonia grafting method and direct synthesis method were employed as nickel loading methods for the preparation of Ni/Al-SBA-15 catalysts. The effects of these nickel loading approaches on the structure and hydrodeoxygenation performance of Ni/Al-SBA-15 were studied. The structure of Ni/Al-SBA-15 was significantly influenced by the nickel loading methods, including the specific surface area, the pore volume, the wall thickness and so on. Nickel loading methods also affected the actual nickel content of nickel-based catalysts. Unsuccessful loading of nickel species was observed during the preparation of Ni/Al-SBA-15 using direct synthesis method. The conversion of eugenol and selectivity of products after hydrodeoxygenation in n-dodecane over Ni/Al-SBA-15 catalysts were investigated. Results showed that the conversion of eugenol nearly reached 100% for all the reaction, but the composition of product was significantly different when using different Ni/Al-SBA-15 as hydrodeoxygenation catalyst. The reaction pathway of eugenol hydrodeoxygenation in n-dodecane was also speculated in this paper. Effects of nickel loading approaches on the structure and hydrodeoxygenation performance of Ni/Al-SBA-15 were investigated. For the liquid phase hydrodeoxygenation of eugenol to hydrocarbon, catalysts prepared by ammonia grafting method exhibited the highest catalytic activity.