Deoxygenation of Palmitic Acid to Produce Diesel-like Hydrocarbons over Nickel Incorporated Cellular Foam Catalyst

Nickel incorporated mesostructured cellular foam (NiMCF) was studied as a catalyst for palmitic acid deoxygenation to primarily synthesize n-pentadecane and 1-pentadecene. The kinetic behaviour was tested in a temperature range from 280 to 300°C.

The reaction was found to follow a first order kinetic model with respect to the palmitic acid with an activation energy of 111.57 KJ/Mol. In the reusability study, it was found that the average reduction in palmitic acid conversions was about 40.5%, which indicated the occurrence of catalyst deactivation during the deoxygenation. Fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope.

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction correlate their characteristics with catalytic activity and to identify the main catalyst deactivation mechanism. The catalyst deactivation was mainly due to phase transformation of metallic nickel (Ni0) to nickel ion (Ni2+) and the deposition of organic molecules on the catalyst during the deoxygenation.

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Studies on Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Thermo- Inactivation of Some Quality-Related Enzymes in White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata)

The effect of heat treatment on the activities of three quality related enzymes peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and lipoxygenase (LOX), from edible white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) was studied over a temperature range of 50 to 80°C using mathematical analysis of the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the thermoinactivation of the enzymes.

Denaturation of these enzymes, measured by loss in activity, could be described by a simple first-order reaction that was resolved into biphasic inactivation curves.

This indicates the existence of two isoforms of different thermal stabilities with k-values between 0.032 and 0.525. D-values decreased with increasing temperature, indicating faster inactivation of the enzymes at higher temperatures.

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A Functionalized, Supported Ionic Liquid for Alkylation of p-Cresol with Tert-Butyl Alcohol

SO3-H functionalized ionic liquid was prepared using 1-vinyl imidazole and 1,4 -butanesultone as source materials and then supported on mesoporous silica material (SBA-15). This supported ionic liquid catalyst was characterized using XRD, SEM, FT-IR, solid state NMR, TGA.

Their catalytic activity in Tert-butylation of p-cresol with tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) was investigated in a batch autoclave. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, catalyst amount and reactant mole ratio on the conversion of p-cresol and 2-tert-butyl-p-cresol (TBC) and 2, 6-di-tert-butylp- cresol (DTBC) selectivities were investigated.

Lower alcohol to p-cresol mole ratios, lower catalyst loading at 110°C gave a 65% maximum conversion of p-cresol. The recoverability and recyclability of the catalyst was also investigated.

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Deoxygenation of Palmitic Acid to Produce Diesel-like Hydrocarbons over Nickel Incorporated Cellular Foam Catalyst

Nickel incorporated mesostructured cellular foam (NiMCF) was studied as a catalyst for palmitic acid deoxygenation to primarily synthesize n-pentadecane and 1-pentadecene. The kinetic behaviour was tested in a temperature range from 280 to 300°C.

The reaction was found to follow a first order kinetic model with respect to the palmitic acid with an activation energy of 111.57 KJ/Mol. In the reusability study, it was found that the average reduction in palmitic acid conversions was about 40.5%, which indicated the occurrence of catalyst deactivation during the deoxygenation. Fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope.

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction correlate their characteristics with catalytic activity and to identify the main catalyst deactivation mechanism. The catalyst deactivation was mainly due to phase transformation of metallic nickel (Ni0) to nickel ion (Ni2+) and the deposition of organic molecules on the catalyst during the deoxygenation.

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