Vapour phase hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol using Ni/SBA-15 for bio-oil upgrading

The primary aim of this study is to break down the methoxy (-OCH₃) and hydroxyl(-OH) oxygenates present in lignin, a component of biomass. This degradation was performed on a lignin-derived model compound, guaiacol, using a highly effective Ni-loaded SBA-15 catalyst. SBA-15 was synthesized via a hydrothermal method, and varying amounts of NiO (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 wt%) were incorporated into SBA-15 through wet impregnation. The catalysts were characterized by using techniques such as XRD, DRS-UV, FT-IR, TPR, BET, SEM, and HR-TEM. Their catalytic performance was evaluated through the hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol in a vapor phase reactor under controlled atmospheric pressure conditions. Notably, at 200 °C with a hydrogen flow rate of 50 ml/h, the 10 wt% NiO/SBA-15 catalyst demonstrated superior catalytic activity, achieving high guaiacol conversion and aimed product selectivity.