ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Preparation of acid–base bi-functional hydrotalcite based catalyst for converting Vietnamese coconut oil to green hydrocarbons

Hong Khanh Dieu Nguyen, Toan Dang Nguyen, Anh ThiPhuong Vu, and Thao Tien Nguyen

Department of Organic and Petrochemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

E-mail: dieuhongprof@gmail.com

Abstract: Acid–base bi-functional hydrotalcite like compounds based on partial incorporation of Al³⁺ into brucite structure of Mg(OH)₂ with various molar ratios were prepared through co-precipitation method. The co-precipitation of the precursors produced precipitations followed by drying at 120 °C for 12 h and calcination in air flow at 500 °C for 6 h to obtain the catalysts (Mg–Al HLCs). Many techniques including XRD, TG–DTA, EDX, NH₃-TPD, CO₂-TPD, GC–MS and XANES were used to characterize and optimize Mg/Al molar ratio based on the thermal stability of the Mg–Al HLCs and their activities in decarboxylation process of coconut oil. The results showed that the best molar ratio of Mg/Al was 3/1 providing a stable hydrotalcite like structure, and the catalyst possessed both acid and base sites on its surface enhancing its activity and selectivity in the decarboxylation process. The catalysts revealed high performance in the decarboxylation process of coconut oil established at 400 °C for 4 h for green hydrocarbons belonging to kerosene fractions.

Keywords: XANES; Hydrotalcite; Bi-functional catalyst; Decarboxylation; Coconut oil

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-016-0020-8

Chemical Papers 71 (5) 961–970 (2017)