Efficient Deoxygenation of Palm Oil to Green Diesel Using a Metal Oxide Catalysts Supported on ZrO2-Enhanced Graphene Oxide

Attared Fadhil Hassan (Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Basrah, Basrah 61004)
Hassan Thamer Abdulsahib (Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Basrah, Basrah 61004)
Faris Abdulridha Jassim Al-Doghachi (Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Basrah, Basrah 61004)
Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin (Catalyst Science and Technology Research Center, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia, Jl. Universiti 1. UPM Serdang, Serdang 43400, Selangor||Malaysia Institute of Plantation Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Jl. Universiti 1. UPM Serdang)

Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis
2026: Just Accepted Manuscript and Article In Press 2026

NiO, Fe2O3, and bimetallic oxide NiFe2O4 catalysts supported on graphene oxide and promoted with ZrO2 were synthesized via wet-impregnation approach. A systematic characterization of the catalysts physicochemical properties was evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Temperature -programmed desorption CO2 (TPD-CO2), Brunaur-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, Field emission Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Their catalytic performance was employed as a heterogeneous catalyst in the deoxygenation reaction (DO) of palm oil for green diesel production under varying conditions. The Fe2O3/ZrO2-GO catalyst (calcined at 400 oC, for 4 hours, and 5wt% catalyst loading) demonstrated superior activity, achieving a maximum hydrocarbon yield HC% of 98.0 %, bio-jet fuel BJF selectivity of 40 %, and Kerosene yield of 86 %. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibited significant stability and reusability over four consecutive reaction cycles, retaining (92 %) hydrocarbon yield, (80.9 %) kerosene yield, with an increased BJF selectivity to 84%. The decrease in HC yield resulted from carbon deposition, pore blockage, and degradation of the mesoporous network.