Breakthrough in Nanotechnology: Researchers Develop Efficient Catalyst for Biofuel Conversion

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Researchers at Yulin University in China have made a significant discovery in the field of nanotechnology, developing a novel catalyst that can efficiently convert biomass pyrolysis oil into cycloalkanes under mild conditions. According to the study, the Ni-Mo/HMB catalyst, which consists of nickel-molybdenum nanoparticles supported on a mesoporous beta catalyst, exhibits high catalytic activity due to the synergistic effect between accessible Lewis acidic sites and bimetallic Ni-Mo active sites.

The research team, led by Yu-Hong Kang, successfully demonstrated the conversion of mequinol to cyclohexane with a selectivity of 100% at 140°C for 2 hours under 4MPa initial hydrogen pressure. Additionally, the catalyst achieved a high conversion rate of biomass pyrolysis oil to cycloalkanes (61.5%) and chain alkanes (38.5%) after 16 hours of reaction.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Ni-Mo/HMB catalyst efficiently converts biomass pyrolysis oil to cycloalkanes under mild conditions, exhibiting a synergistic effect between accessible Lewis acidic sites and bimetallic Ni-Mo active sites.
  • The dispersion of bimetallic Ni-Mo nanoparticles is most uniform with a Ni/Mo ratio of 10/3, demonstrating high hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) activity.
  • The catalyst achieved a conversion rate of mequinol to cyclohexane with a selectivity of 100% at 140°C for 2 hours under 4MPa initial hydrogen pressure.
  • The Ni-Mo/HMB catalyst exhibits high catalytic activity due to the active hydrogen species transfer within Ni-Mo nanoparticles and accessible Lewis acidic sites.
  • The research team successfully mitigated repolymerization reactions and diffusion limitations of intermediates utilizing the mesoporous texture of the Ni-Mo/HMB catalyst, sustaining excellent activity after 5 cycles of recycling.

Statistics:

  • The Ni-Mo/HMB catalyst achieved a conversion rate of mequinol to cyclohexane with a selectivity of 100% at 140°C for 2 hours under 4MPa initial hydrogen pressure.
  • The catalyst achieved a high conversion rate of biomass pyrolysis oil to cycloalkanes (61.5%) and chain alkanes (38.5%) after 16 hours of reaction.
  • The mesoporous texture of the Ni-Mo/HMB catalyst sustains excellent activity after 5 cycles of recycling.

Sources:

  • "Green Hydrodeoxygenation of Biomass Pyrolysis Oil Into Cycloalkanes Using Ni-mo Nanoparticles Supported H-mesoporous Beta Catalysts." Energy, 2025; 334.
  • Yulin University, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yulin Key Lab Low Carbon Refining Utilizat Heavy C, Shaanxi Key Lab Low Metamorph Coal Clean Utilizat, Yulin 719000, People's Republic of China.
  • Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Energy - www.journals.elsevier.com/energy/.