Hydrodeoxygenation of stearic acid over zeolite–MOF composite-supported Pt catalysts

Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of zeolite-porous metal–organic framework (MOF) (ZM) composites with different Pt loadings via a two-step approach, in which –COOH functionalized ZSM-5 particles were added during the formation of MIL-100(Fe) (Materials Institute Lavoisier) by a microwave-assisted solvothermal method. The acidity of the ZM composites was significantly improved compared to that of the parent materials, and the highest acidity was observed for the ZM2-based catalyst. This ZM composite-supported Pt (Pt/ZM) catalyst was investigated as a promising candidate for the selective hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of stearic acid as a fatty acid model compound. The effect of zeolite/MOF ratio and Pt content on the catalytic behavior was also evaluated. As a result, the 3% Pt/ZM2 catalyst showed a conversion efficiency of 92% for the stearic acid HDO with a hydrocarbon selectivity of 10–11 times higher than that of the original Pt/MIL-100 (Fe). In addition, 3% Pt/ZM2 catalyst exhibited stable catalytic performance for stearic acid HDO during the recycle runs. The optimized Pt/ZM catalyst showed high thermal and catalytic stability, as well as high product yield.