Chinese researchers demonstrate efficient jatropha biofuel production using nanotube catalyst

January 18, 2018 |

In China, recent research published in a report in Nano showed biofuels were obtained from jatropha oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking tolerance of CNT. Two cracking circulations were found in the hydroprocessing. The sulphur-free process was also eco-friendly.

The catalyst is very significant for the performance of the process. As an electric charge carrier, the researchers found that the velocity of electron reaches the speed of light 1/ 300 in graphene, far more than the normal conductor. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are constructed of rolled up graphene sheets with one dimensional extended π conjugated structures.

A team of researchers from the Beihang University in China, Beijing has demonstrated that CNT catalysts showed efficient cracking activity. The electroconductivity of the CNT support was especially beneficial for the improvement of catalyst activity. The nickel (Ni) and phosphotungstic acid (HPW) supported on CNT were prepared by the team as catalyst for hydroprocessing of Jatropha oil. Their report appears in the December issue of the journal NANO.

Category: Research

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