Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 29 Number 4 (2025): 1345

 

Research Article

 

Turning waste into fuel: Hydrodeoxygenation of sewer grease into hydrocarbon fuel via Fe foam modified catalyst

 

Muhammad Hasif Auji Fadzli1, Nurul Asikin-Mijan1*, Ghassan Kareem-Alsultan2,3**, Darfizi Derawi1, Yun Hin Taufiq-Yap2,3, Hwei Voon Lee4, Karen Wilson5, Salman Raza Naqvi6, Salma Samidin7, Muhammad Rahimi Yusop1, and Faris Ali Jassim Aldoghachi8

 

1Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

2Catalysis Science and Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

3Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

4Nanotechnology and Catalysis Research Centre (NanoCat), Institute of Postgraduate Studies, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

5School of Environment & Science, Centre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia

6Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden

7Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

8Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Basrah, 61004, Basrah, Iraq

 

*Corresponding author: nurul.asikin@ukm.edu.my, kreem.alsultan@yahoo.com

 

Received: 19 September 2024; Revised: 20 July 2025; Accepted: 23 July 2025; Published: 22 August 2025

Abstract

Green diesel is an alternative petroleum derived fuel owing to their non-renewable nature and high CO2 emissions. Hence, the present study highlights the production of green diesel from renewable and cost-effective fat, oil, and grease (FOG) via hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction over a bimetallic-modified catalyst known as NiaCeb/Fe-F using a series of Ce loadings (Ni0.34Ce0.30/Fe-F, Ni0.34Ce0.42/Fe-F) which were synthesized via the electrodeposition method. Detailed catalyst characterization was conducted, and most of the catalysts exhibited surface areas within the range of 4.45-45.13 m²/g, with 76-233 µmolg-1 of acid sites. The presence of cerium species not only amplifies the number of acid sites but also facilitates the efficient removal of oxygen species, marking a pivotal advancement in the process. The catalyst also demonstrated a significant needle-like morphological structure. Based on the catalytic HDO screening study at 400 °C within a 6 h reaction time, the Ni0.34Ce0.42/Fe-F (rich Ce vacancy species) catalytic HDO was found to be superior in catalytic activity compared to other catalysts, with a hydrocarbon yield of 53% and selectivity of 74% n-(C15-C18). Despite having a low surface area, the presence of high weak + medium acid sites in the catalyst, helped boost its catalytic activity in HDO.

Keywords: green diesel, cerium, hydrodeoxygenation, iron, nickel

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