Synthesis of Aviation Fuel Range Alkanes Through Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignocellulose Derived C15 Aldol Condensate Catalyzed by Ni-Nb2O5/ZrP Catalysts

The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignocellulose-based furan compounds holds significant potential for the synthesis of aviation fuel. However, challenges such as high catalyst costs and low yields persist. This study proposes a two-step strategy, involving pre-hydrogenation followed by HDO, to convert the C 15 condensation product derived from furfural and levulinic acid into hydrocarbons within the aviation fuel range. A Ni-based catalyst supported on zirconium phosphate (ZrP) with the incorporation of Nb 2 O 5 was synthesized. At 340 °C, 4 MPa H 2 , and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) = 14.9, using Ni-Nb 2 O 5 /ZrP as the catalyst for HDO, considering the pre-hydrogenation, the overall yield of alkanes in the C 10 –C 15 jet fuel range from solid condensation products FLF is 62.4%, with a yield of C 15 alkanes of 16.2% and C 14 alkanes of 25.2%. A series of characterizations and comparative experiments were carried out. Experimental studies have demonstrated that doping with Nb 2 O 5 plays a crucial role in enhancing the HDO performance. The characterization results indicate that the introduction of an appropriate amount of Nb 2 O 5 increased the electron density of ZrP, enriched the catalyst's acidic sites, in addition, the ratio of Bronsted acid to Lewis acid sites in the catalyst increases. Finally, a brief analysis of industrialization potential was conducted.