Aviation fuel synthesis by catalytic conversion of biomass hydrolysate in aqueous phase

This paper presents a new route for biomass derived aviation fuel synthesis by catalytic conversion in aqueous phase. Furfural with the yield of 71% was produced by acid hydrolysis of raw corncob, and hydrogenated to 2-methylfuran with obtaining the yield of 89% over Raney Ni catalyst, both of which were implemented under mild reaction conditions. The hydroxyalkylation/alkylation condensation of 2-methylfuran and furfural to C15 intermediate was conducted by using organic and inorganic acid as the catalyst under the reaction condition of 328 K and atmospheric pressure. The maximal 95% of the C15 intermediate was gained when using sulfuric acid as the catalyst. 83% of liquid alkanes (C8C15) yield and more than 90% of C14/C15 selectivity were produced by hydrodeoxygenation of the C15 intermediate over 10 wt%Ni/ZrO2-SiO2 catalyst. During the hydrodeoxygenation process, the catalyst showed excellent stability depended on the 110 h of time-on-stream test, due to its significantly decreased carbon deposition.