Deoxygenation of oleic acid over Ce(1–x)Zr(x)O2 catalysts in hydrogen environment

• Ce(1–x)Zr(x)O2 were prepared by co-precipitation method for DO of oleic acid.
• The CeO2/ZrO2 ratio was systematically varied to optimize Ce(1–x)Zr(x)O2.
• Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 exhibited the highest oleic acid conversion.
• Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 exhibited high selectivity to C9 ∼ C17 compounds.
• This is due to reducibility, oxygen storage capacity and crystallite size.

Ce(1–x)Zr(x)O2 catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation method for deoxygenation (DO) of oleic acid. The CeO2/ZrO2 ratio was systematically varied to optimize Ce(1–x)Zr(x)O2 catalysts. Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 exhibited the highest oleic acid conversion as well as high selectivity to C9 ∼ C17 compounds (diesel fuel range) at the reaction temperature of 300 °C. The high activity/selectivity of Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 catalyst was correlated to its reducibility, oxygen storage capacity and crystallite size.