Efficiency conversion of jatropha oil into high-quality biofuel over the innovative Ni-Mo2N based catalyst

Mo2N catalyst can effectively remove oxygen from biomass oil under harsh reaction conditions. Herein, the innovative Ni-Mo2N/γ-Al2O3 catalyst was synthesized through conventional impregnation method and NH3 or N2/H2 pretreatment. The hydrodeoxygenation performance of Ni-Mo2N/γ-Al2O3 catalyst is significantly improved in comparison with Mo2N. At 320 °C and 3 MPa, the oxygen of jatropha oil is completely removed and high-quality biofuel with high selectivity of C15-C18 hydrocarbons are obtained over the Ni-Mo2N/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. This good reactivity for Ni-Mo2N/γ-Al2O3 catalyst are ascribed to the synergistic effect of Ni and Mo2N, the most uniform Ni dispersion and the excellent coke resistance ability. Ni, as an auxiliary, is conductive to the cleavage of H–H bonds, while Mo2N are beneficial to the cleavage of C–O bonds. In addition, the metal-support interaction would affect the deoxygenation pathway of jatropha oil. This research proposes an efficient strategy for enhancing the hydrodeoxygenation performance of Mo2N catalysts for the jatropha oil conversion.