Joule
Volume 3, Issue 4, 17 April 2019, Pages 1028-1036
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Article
Integrated Conversion of Cellulose to High-Density Aviation Fuel

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.02.005Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • An integrated route was developed for the synthesis of polycycloalkanes with cellulose

  • High carbon yield of 2,5-hexanedione was obtained by the hydrogenolysis of cellulose

  • 2,5-hexanedione was converted to polycycloalkanes over a dual-bed catalyst system

  • The polycycloalkanes can be used as high-density aviation fuel or fuel additives

Context & Scale

The production of renewable aviation fuels with lignocellulose has drawn tremendous attention in recent years. So far, most of the reported processes were concentrated on the synthesis of conventional jet fuel with lignocellulosic platform compounds. Polycycloalkanes are major components of advanced aviation fuels. Herein, we report a highly integrated route for the synthesis of branched polycycloalkanes with cellulose, the most abundant polymer in biomass. Tuning the reaction conditions also permits the selective production of methyl cyclopentane, which can be used as high-octane-number gasoline additive. Compared with the reported processes, this new process has many advantages, such as cheaper feedstock, mild reaction conditions, fewer steps, higher density, lower freezing point of final products, etc. This work provides a new strategy for the manufacture of advanced aviation fuels with cellulose.

Summary

The catalytic conversion of renewable lignocellulose to transportation fuels is crucial to establish energy security and mitigate CO2 emissions. Here, we describe an effective and integrated strategy for the production of high-density aviation fuel with cellulose, an abundant and inedible raw biomass. First, cellulose was selectively converted to 2,5-hexanedione in a separation yield of 71.4%. Subsequently, a mixture of C12 and C18 branched polycycloalkanes was directly obtained in a carbon yield of 74.6% by the aldol condensation-hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation reaction of 2,5-hexanedione and hydrogen over a dual-bed catalyst system. The polycycloalkane mixture obtained by this process has high density (0.88 g mL−1) and low freezing point (225 K). In real application, they can be used as advanced aviation fuel or additives to improve the volumetric heat values of conventional aviation fuels.

Keywords

cellulose
integrated conversion
high-density
aviation fuel
hydrogenolysis
2,5-hexanedione
dual-bed catalyst system
aldol condesation
hydrodeoxygenation
polycycloalkane

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These authors contributed equally

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