Hydrodeoxygenation of bio-oil model compounds over amorphous NiB/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst in oil-water biphasic system

An amorphous NiB/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst was prepared and characterized by XRD, TEM, N₂ sorption and XPS. The catalytic performance of the prepared catalysts was evaluated in an oil-water bi-phase system using anisole and guaiacol as model compound of bio-oil. The results showed that Ni was in the electron-rich state with the modification of B, leading to the much higher hydrogenation activity of amorphous NiB/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst than that of Ni/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst. Increasing reaction temperature or prolonging reaction time was beneficial to the conversion of guaiacol and anisole. On the basis of the experimental results, the reaction pathway of guaiacol and anisole was analyzed, which provided a reference for the mechanism of bio oil hydrogenation.