Catalytic Performance of ZrCu Bimetal Supported MCM-41 in the Pyrolysis of Oleic Acid for C8-C17 Aviation-Grade Biofuels
Abstract
With global energy consumption rising and fossil fuel reserves depleting, biofuels are becoming significant as renewable energy sources. Oleic acid in vegetable oils is vital for catalytic cracking to produce hydrocarbon-rich biofuels, to replace conventional petroleum resources. However, oxygenated compounds in direct pyrolysis products restrict their direct use as transportation fuels, so efficient catalytic systems are required. In this research, a ZrCu bimetallic catalyst supported on mesoporous MCM-41 (xZr-yCu/MCM-41) was synthesized by incipient wetness impregnation. The structural properties were characterized by techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, N2 adsorption-desorption, and NH3-TPD. The 2Zr-Cu/MCM-41 catalyst had the best activity. At 500 °C, an alcohol-to-oil ratio of 5:1, and a 1 g catalyst dosage, oleic acid conversion reached 100%, with 90.6% hydrocarbon selectivity and 76.7% hydrocarbon yield in the C8-C17 aviation fuel range. The Zr-Cu alloy phase optimized acidic site distribution (Zr for deoxygenation, Cu for hydrogenation). The mesoporous MCM-41 (3.8 nm average pore diameter) enhanced mass transfer and active site exposure. The catalyst maintained stable performance after three cycles, with coke resistance and thermal stability due to metal-support interactions. This study provides theoretical and experimental insights for biomass conversion bimetallic catalytic system design.