On Sunday, October 5, 2025, the Department of Chemistry at the College of Science / University of Mosul discussed the doctoral dissertation tagged ” preparation of new catalysts and their use in the process of improving the specifications of heavy oil residues ” by student Ali Amash Hussein Aluk.

Dr. Salem Jassim Mohammed, the head of the Department of chemistry, and a number of department teachers and graduate students attended part of the discussion.

The thesis dealt with the preparation of new catalysts and their use in improving the specifications of heavy oil residues resulting from atmospheric distillation operations at the AL-kaskak refinery, with the aim of converting them into liquid fuel with a chemical composition and fuel qualities similar to conventional crude oil.

The study included the preparation of Kama alumina from local rocks in Iraq to be used as a catalyst and a supporting material for the preparation of heterogeneous solid catalysts, and then the preparation of three types of catalysts:

Nickel-chromium on alumina for use in the process of catalytic thermal cracking of oil residues.

Chromium-molybdenum is applied to alumina for the same purpose.

Nickel-molybdenum on alumina to improve the efficiency of catalysis and produce light derivatives with high fuel qualities.

Two methods of catalytic thermal cracking were also applied, the first in the liquid phase to measure the effect of catalysts on the nature and yield of the resulting fuel, and the second in the steam phase to find out the effect of the type of cracking on the chemical composition and fuel qualities of the products.

The thesis included the analysis of Catalysts using advanced techniques to determine their structural, surface and crystal properties, as well as measuring the fuel qualities of the resulting liquids, comparing the ratio of caseolin and its octane number with locally available commercial models.

This study is in line with the seventh goal (clean and affordable energy) and the ninth goal (industry, innovation and infrastructure) of the Sustainable Development Goals, by seeking to develop local scientific techniques to improve the investment of oil resources and reduce oil losses in sustainable and environmentally friendly ways.

On behalf of the dean of the College of science, professor Dr. Hiyam Adel Ibrahim, the head of the Department of chemistry, professor Dr. Salem Jassim Mohammed, presented a letter of thanks and appreciation to assistant professor Dr. Omar Yassin Daya from the College of Petroleum Process Engineering/ University of Tikrit, in appreciation of his scientific efforts and distinguished participation in the discussion Committee.

We wish our dear students continued success and success .

Government information and Communication Division

Sunday, October 5, 2025