Energy-efficient photothermal catalysis of rubber seed oil for the preparation of biofuel compounds

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 306; p. 121683
• Main Authors: Hu, Liangdong, Li, Ruifan, Liu, Ying, Souliyathai, Dona, Zhang, Wenjie, Chen, Yubao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15-12-2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Biofuels; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemical properties; Chemisorption; Decarboxylation; Energy; Energy conservation; Energy efficiency; Fluorescence; Fuel components; High resolution electron microscopy; Metals; Modification of TiO2; Oils & fats; Oilseeds; Oleic acid; Photothermal catalysis; Photothermal conversion; Reaction time; Rubber; Rubber seed oil; Selectivity; Spectroscopy; Titanium dioxide; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction; X-ray fluorescence; Rubber seed oil; Fuel components; Photothermal catalysis; Modification of TiO2
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121683

•Photothermal catalysis was studied to prepare biofuel from rubber seed oil (RSO).•Various metal/TiO2 catalysts were investigated (metal: Pt, Pd, Ni, Cu, La, and Ru).•Temperature, H2 pressure, and test duration were optimised by a single factor test.•Pt/TiO2 exhibited ≥95% conversion of RSO and ≥50% selectivity for target alkanes.•Oleic acid was used as a molecular probe to elucidate the reaction mechanism.
Fuel components were prepared in this study using rubber seed oil via photothermal catalysis under energy-saving conditions. Modified TiO2 was employed as the catalyst in the catalytic reactions. X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), hydrogen temperature-programmed desorbtion (H2-TPD), CO pulse chemisorption analysis, and UV–vis spectroscopy were employed to examine the microstructure and chemical properties of the modified catalysts. The loading of the catalysts with different active metals considerably reduced the bandgap, leading to enhancements in the absorption of visible light. Temperature, H2 pressure, and reaction time were optimised for the photothermal catalytic reaction via the single factor test. The Pt/TiO2 catalyst realised the highest conversion and selectivity among the tested samples at 120 °C and a H2 pressure of 0.4 MPa for 12 h. Additionally, photo-decarboxylation was confirmed via probing with oleic acid to be the predominant process in the catalytic reaction. This research provides an energy-saving strategy for the preparation of biofuels.