This work studies upgrading of bio-oil obtained from pyrolysis of corn cob via hydrogenation reaction. SBA-15 was synthesized and used as a catalyst. The organic phase and aqueous phase of the bio-oil were separated and remixed at a ratio of 3:7 by volume to represent total bio-oil. Upgrading of the bio-oil was performed in a 70 ml batch reactor at 300^oC, initial hydrogen pressure of 1 atm and reaction time of 1 h. The results showed that catalytic upgrading of the bio-oil, using SBA-15 catalyst, the heating values of both organic and aqueous phases slightly increased to 26.20 and 1.70 MJ/kg, respectively, compared with 25.44 and 1.61 MJ/kg of the raw bio-oil. In this work effect of bi metal, Co and Ni, loading with Co:Ni mol ratio of 1:1 over SBA-15 on bio-oil upgrading was investigated. Ni-Co/SBA-15 catalyst gave the heating values of 28.14 and 1.87 MJ/kg, respectively.  Three solvents, n-pentane, toluene and methanol, were used to extract organic phase to produce the aliphatic, aromatic and polar fractions, respectively. After removing the three solvents, each fraction was upgraded and analysed by GC-MS and Bomb calorimeter. The heating values of the E1 (n-pentane), E2 (toluene) and E3 (methanol) fractions were 34.67, 33.88 and 32.41 MJ/kg, respectively, compared with 28.14 MJ/kg of the upgraded organic phase of bio-oil. The E1 fraction showed an increase of hydrocarbons by 3.14 times but lower in phenol group by 29.7 %.

Keywords: corn cob, upgrading, bio-oil, extract, Ni-Co/SBA-15