Upgrading biocrude oil into sustainable aviation fuel using zeolite-supported iron-molybdenum carbide nanocatalysts

Yu, Siying; He, Haozhen; Summers, Sabrina; Yang, Zhibin; Si, Buchun; Gao, Runnan; Song, Anran; Heyne, Joshua; Zhang, Yuanhui; Yang, Hong

doi:10.1126/sciadv.adu5777

Upgrading biocrude oil into sustainable aviation fuel using zeolite-supported iron-molybdenum carbide nanocatalysts

Journal Article · Fri Jun 27 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Science Advances

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adu5777· OSTI ID:2574789

^[1]; He, Haozhen ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Gao, Runnan ^[1]; Song, Anran ^[1]; ^[4]; ^[1]; ^[1]

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
Washington State University, Richland, WA (United States)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); China Agricultural University, Beijing (China)
Washington State University, Richland, WA (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Food waste is an underdeveloped source for production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Now, there is no certified conversion process of food waste for SAF by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). We report the use of zeolite-supported molybdenum carbide nanocatalysts in upgrading biocrudes, produced from food wastes through HTL, into SAF precursors. Our data show a complete removal of oxygen from the biocrude through hydrodeoxygenation and a higher heating value of 46.5 MJ/kg, which is comparable to that of Jet A (46.1 MJ/kg). The prescreening tests (tier alpha and beta) show the average carbon number of the distillation cut (150° to 230°C) of upgraded fuel is 10.6, close to the value of 11.4 for average conventional jet fuel, and the specifications of properties including surface tension, viscosity, heating value, flash point, and freezing point were found to meet the standards of SAF. The metal carbide nanocatalysts were reusable in upgrading tests, and the activity of deoxygenation was retained.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: US Federal Aviation Administration; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0009269; SC0018420

OSTI ID:: 2574789

Journal Information:: Science Advances, Journal Name: Science Advances Journal Issue: 26 Vol. 11; ISSN 2375-2548

Publisher:: AAASCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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