Preparation and Hydrodeoxygenation Properties of Ni-Co-W-B Amorphous Catalyst

Ni-Co-W-B amorphous catalysts with different Ni/Co ratios were prepared by the chemical reduction method, and their hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) activity was tested using phenol as the model compound. All the fresh catalysts showed an amorphous structure, and the electron transfer between Ni-0 and B-0 occurred in the Ni-Co-W-B amorphous catalysts. The thermal stability of the amorphous catalyst increased and the Ni-0 content decreased with increasing Co content. The HDO of phenol on the Ni-Co-W-B amorphous catalysts proceeded through a hydrogenation-deoxygenation route, and no benzene was found in the products. When the Ni:Co atom ratio in the raw material was 2:1, the Ni-Co-W-B amorphous catalyst showed the highest HDO activity. Under the conditions of temperature 275 degrees C, hydrogen pressure 4.0 MPa, and reaction time 2 h, the phenol conversion and the deoxygenation rate reached 99.4% and 86.0%, respectively. The HDO activity of the Ni-Co-W-B amorphous catalysts depended on the Ni-0 content, the Bronsted acidity, and the catalyst surface area.