Isoeugenol hydrodeoxygenation over sustainable biochar-supported cobalt catalysts: Synergistic Co0/Co2+sites and mechanistic insights
: Longo, Lilia; Murzin, Dmitry Yu.; Baldassin, Davide; Mäki-Arvela, Päivi; Wärnå, Johan; Peuronen, Anssi; Huš, Matej; Likozar, Blaž; Aho, Atte; Klimov, Mark E. Martinez; Yevdokimova, Olha; Eränen, Kari; Lastusaari, Mika; Signoretto, Michela
Publisher: Elsevier
: 2026
Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
: 126194
: 384
: 0926-3373
: 1873-3883
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2025.126194
: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2025.126194
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/506136498
This work demonstrates the potential of low-cost cobalt catalysts supported on activated biochars from biomass on the hydrodeoxygenation of isoeugenol, bio-oil model compound for the production of sustainable aviation fuels. Co/biochar catalysts were obtained by pyrolysis and steam activation of rice husk, leather waste, and their mixture, followed by metal impregnation, calcination, and reduction. Compared to Co/AC, (commercial active carbon), Co/A-RH, (rice husk biochar), exhibited competitive isoeugenol conversion to propylcyclohexane (PCH) at 300 °C, 30 bar, 4 h, with a higher initial rate (r0PCH = 0.38 vs 0.34 mmol/min gCo), but lower PCH yield (55 % vs 75 %), due to hydrocracking. By kinetic modeling, the activation energy for PCH formation was determined to be 151 kJ/mol. Comprehensive characterization revealed that Co0-Co2+ synergy enhances HDO performance. DFT calculations provided mechanistic insight into the HDO pathways, which were consistent with the experimentally derived reaction network, and kinetic model.
biochar, cobalt, DFT, hydrodeoxygenation, isoeugenol, kinetic, reaction mechanism
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The financial support from the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency through core funding (P2–0152), infrastructure funding (I0–0039), travel fund (BI-FIN/25–27–011) and project funding (J7–4638, N2–0316) is greatly appreciated. The research was (co-)funded under the HyBReED project, supported by the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The MIUR (Italian ministry for education, university and research) is gratefully acknowledged for the financial support (doctoral scholarships) of the inter-university Ph.D. program of University of Trieste and University Ca’ Foscari Venice.
