Low-temperature hydrodeoxygenation of fatty acids to biodiesel via Ru–Mo strong metal-support interaction

Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) significantly influences the catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability through the geometric and electronic effects of a catalyst. We herein develop a stable Ru 0 −Mo δ+ catalyst for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of fatty acids to alkanes (2.5 μmol g −1 cat h −1 ) at low to room temperatures, meanwhile demonstrating its general applicability to various complex fatty acids. Kinetic studies and reaction pathway analysis revealed that the Ru–Mo SMSI significantly reduced the reaction activation energy by altering the HDO pathways. Mechanistic studies indicate that electron transfer occurs between the active Ru nanoclusters and the Mo δ+ support, which enhances catalytic activity by promoting the adsorption of RCOO* at the Ru 0 −Mo δ+ interface. Our research establishes an efficient Ru–Mo catalyst for biomass upgrading at low temperatures and calls for reassessing the electronic effects in the M 0 -M δ+ interfacial catalysis model.