Hydrocracking of Palm Oil Into Biofuel Over Ni-Al2O3-bentonite (Aluminosilicate) Nanocatalyst

Bentonite modification can improve physicochemical properties of bentonite for the hydrocracking of palm oil into biofuel. This study synthesized H-bentonite, Al2O3 bentonite, and Ni-Al2O3-bentonite catalysts; explored the physicochemical properties of the bentonite; and examined its ability in the hydrocracking of palm oil. The results indicated that modifications of bentonite, which were activated, pillarized, and impregnated with Ni, were able to increase the physicochemical properties of the bentonites, such as the acidity and the basal spacing. Ni-Al2O3-bentonite had the highest acidity of 3.25 mmol/g. Pillarization and impregnation with Ni generally decreased the surface area, average pore size, and pore volume of bentonite. The hydrocracking process of palm oil using modified bentonite catalysts represented that the liquid products have similar compositions to that of diesel oil and gasoline fraction. Hydrocracking with Ni-Al2O3-bentonite resulted in the most liquid product yield of 46.32%, with the highest percentage of diesel oil fraction of 61.20%.