Supercritical deoxygenation of stearic acid in the presence of cobalt-containing catalyst

In this paper, the effect of the Co-containing catalyst based on hypercrosslinked polystyrene (HPS) in the deoxygenation of stearic acid in supercritical n-hexane was studied. The catalyst was synthesized by hydrothermal impregnation of the Co particles into the pores of the polymer matrix in the medium of superheated water. High efficiency of the catalyst in the deoxygenation of stearic acid in supercritical n-hexane was shown. The use of the catalyst allows obtaining the yield of C16-C17 hydrocarbons above 85% at 100% substrate conversion. The use of supercritical fluids during deoxygenation avoids energy loss and also avoids the use of gaseous hydrogen, which ensures the cost of the process. In addition, Co-containing catalyst is more preferable from an economic point of view in comparison with catalysts based on noble metals.