Deoxygenation of Macauba acid oil over Co-based catalyst supported on activated biochar from Macauba endocarp: A potential and sustainable route for green diesel and biokerosene production

[Display omitted] •Cobalt supported on endocarp activated carbon was synthesized and characterized.•This novel catalyst was evaluated for deoxygenation reaction of Macauba acid oil.•Mechanism, reactions and Macauba catalyst structure are presented and discussed.•The highest degree of deoxygenation was 98.4 %wt (4 h, 30 bar H2, 350 °C).•Potential drop-in biofuels synthesized are: gasoline, jet fuel and mainly diesel. Conventional biofuels, as biodiesel and bioethanol, are oxygenated compounds that have different physical-chemical properties when compared to fossil fuels. Otherwise, drop-in biofuels are bio-hydrocarbons that have the same chemical composition of fossil fuels. These oxygen-free fuels can be used without changes in structure that already exists to fossils fuels, as engines, turbines and tanks. This work presents the synthesis of bio-hydrocarbons via deoxygenation over Co/C catalyst using Macauba acid oil as feedstock. It is an inedible oil, with high acidity (about 38%) from a perennial palm tree with high oil productivity. Macauba endocarp activated carbon supported cobalt catalyst was synthesized and tested in order to develop a low cost and sustainable conversion route. Degree of deoxygenation of 98.4 %wt was achieved using Macauba pulp oil as feedstock, 10 wt% of catalyst, at temperature of 350 °C, pressure of 30 bar H2 for 4 h. The synthesized bio-hydrocarbons presented carbon chains equivalent to the fractions of gasoline, aviation kerosene and, mostly, diesel. These drop-in biofuels and the innovative catalyst appear as an important alternative for transport sector and for improving the sustainability of Macauba biorefinery.