Efficiency conversion of jatropha oil into high-quality biofuel over the innovative Ni-Mo2N based catalyst.

[Display omitted] • Ni-Mo 2 N catalyst can be effectively convert jatropha oil into high-quality biofuel. • The HDO performance of Ni-Mo 2 N is significantly improved than that of Mo 2 N. • The synergy of Ni and Mo 2 N assists in high biofuel yield and deoxygenation ability. • The interaction between metal and support would affect the deoxygenation pathway. Mo 2 N catalyst can effectively remove oxygen from biomass oil under harsh reaction conditions. Herein, the innovative Ni-Mo 2 N/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst was synthesized through conventional impregnation method and NH 3 or N 2 /H 2 pretreatment. The hydrodeoxygenation performance of Ni-Mo 2 N/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst is significantly improved in comparison with Mo 2 N. At 320 °C and 3 MPa, the oxygen of jatropha oil is completely removed and high-quality biofuel with high selectivity of C 15 -C 18 hydrocarbons are obtained over the Ni-Mo 2 N/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst. This good reactivity for Ni-Mo 2 N/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst are ascribed to the synergistic effect of Ni and Mo 2 N, the most uniform Ni dispersion and the excellent coke resistance ability. Ni, as an auxiliary, is conductive to the cleavage of H–H bonds, while Mo 2 N are beneficial to the cleavage of C–O bonds. In addition, the metal-support interaction would affect the deoxygenation pathway of jatropha oil. This research proposes an efficient strategy for enhancing the hydrodeoxygenation performance of Mo 2 N catalysts for the jatropha oil conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]