Adsorption mechanism of crude tall oil (CTO) on supported transition metals catalysts to better understand the production of renewable fuels through hydrodeoxygenation

Waste and co-products from the Kraft paper and cellulose production process have the potential to be transformed into renewable fuels through heterogeneous catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO). A supported Co-based catalyst will be subjected to reduction in H2 atmosphere, loaded with crude tall oil and model molecule (oleic acid) to evaluate the reaction mechanisms in the TOSCA instrument by Inelastic Neutron Scattering. We expect the results to provide key molecular insight into catalytic activity towards renewable fuels production through HDO of crude tall oil.