MJSTEM

Abstract

The growing imperative for sustainable energy sources has spurred significant interest in the catalytic conversion of biomass, such as agricultural waste, into biofuels. Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising raw material for the production of energy and bio-based chemicals. This study investigates the catalytic conversion of hemicellulose derived from maize cobs into liquid hydrocarbons using NiO/Al2O3 as a bifunctional catalyst in an aqueous phase. The process comprises the initial generation of furfural via a one-step acid-catalyzed hydrolysis-dehydration sequence, followed by its transformation into liquid hydrocarbons via aldol condensation and hydrodeoxygenation. The empirical results demonstrate a conversion efficiency of 61.08% with the NiO/Al2O3 catalyst under optimized reaction conditions (220°C, 30 bar, 1 h), corresponding to a hydrocarbon selectivity of 61.08%. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the liquid product identified the presence of alkanes within the C7-C15 range, with heptane (28.06%) and decane (17.65%) constituting the principal products. This finding substantiates the viability of employing hemicellulose sourced from maize cobs as a feedstock for producing liquid hydrocarbons through hydrodeoxygenation catalyzed by NiO/Al2O3.

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