Corncob pyrolysis: Improvement in hydrocarbon group types distribution of bio oil from co-catalysis over HZSM-5 and activated carbon

Zeolite and activated carbon (AC) have been demonstrated as promising and facile catalysts in degrading biomass into high-value added chemicals and bio-fuels, while the effects of combining zeolite and AC on the catalytic degradation of biomass have not been well understood. Here, co-catalytic pyrolysis of corncob over HZSM-5 and AC to produce aromatic-rich bio-oils was investigated for the first time. The effects of HZSM-5/AC ratio, pyrolysis temperature and catalyst/corncob ratio on products yields and components were explored. The optimal conversion condition was HZSM-5/AC ratio of 2:1, pyrolysis temperature of 500 ℃ and catalyst/corncob ratio of 1:1. Up to 97.47% of the obtained bio-oil chemicals were jet-fuel ranged hydrocarbons, in which the selectivity of aromatics was 96.56%. The results revealed the existence of synergistic effect between HZSM-5 and AC. The present work suggested an economical and novel pathway to produce transportation jet fuel to ultimately expand the biomass application.