Insitu Generation of Ni Nanoparticles from Metal-Organic Framework Precursors and Their Use for Biomass Hydrodeoxygenation

So far, insitu-generated Ni nanoparticles have been reported to be efficient catalysts for tar cracking during wood liquefaction by pyrolysis. Herein, their performance in further bio-oil conversion steps is evaluated. Nanoparticles were generated for the first time from a Ni-containing metal-organic framework, MIL-77, during the hydrotreatment of glycerol-solvolyzed lignocellulosic (LC) biomass. Reactions were conducted at 300°C and the H2 pressure was 8MPa in a slurry reactor. The catalytic activity and selectivity of the deoxygenation and hydrocracking reactions for real biomass-derived feedstock using insitu-generated nanoparticles was compared with Ni nanoparticles dispersed on a silica-alumina support (commercial Ni/SiO2-Al2O3 catalyst). The mass activity of the insitu-generated nanoparticles for hydrogenolysis was more than ten times higher in comparison to their commercial analogues, and their potential for the use in LC biorefinery is discussed.