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Transforming carbon dioxide into jet fuel using an organic combustion-synthesized Fe-Mn-K catalyst

Author

Listed:
  • Benzhen Yao

    (University of Oxford)

  • Tiancun Xiao

    (University of Oxford)

  • Ofentse A. Makgae

    (University of Oxford)

  • Xiangyu Jie

    (University of Oxford
    University of Oxford)

  • Sergio Gonzalez-Cortes

    (University of Oxford)

  • Shaoliang Guan

    (Cardiff University
    Harwell-XPS – The EPSRC National Facility for Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH))

  • Angus I. Kirkland

    (University of Oxford
    Diamond Lightsource Ltd.)

  • Jonathan R. Dilworth

    (University of Oxford)

  • Hamid A. Al-Megren

    (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology)

  • Saeed M. Alshihri

    (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology)

  • Peter J. Dobson

    (The Queen’s College, University of Oxford)

  • Gari P. Owen

    (Annwvyn Solutions)

  • John M. Thomas

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Peter P. Edwards

    (University of Oxford)

Abstract

With mounting concerns over climate change, the utilisation or conversion of carbon dioxide into sustainable, synthetic hydrocarbons fuels, most notably for transportation purposes, continues to attract worldwide interest. This is particularly true in the search for sustainable or renewable aviation fuels. These offer considerable potential since, instead of consuming fossil crude oil, the fuels are produced from carbon dioxide using sustainable renewable hydrogen and energy. We report here a synthetic protocol to the fixation of carbon dioxide by converting it directly into aviation jet fuel using novel, inexpensive iron-based catalysts. We prepare the Fe-Mn-K catalyst by the so-called Organic Combustion Method, and the catalyst shows a carbon dioxide conversion through hydrogenation to hydrocarbons in the aviation jet fuel range of 38.2%, with a yield of 17.2%, and a selectivity of 47.8%, and with an attendant low carbon monoxide (5.6%) and methane selectivity (10.4%). The conversion reaction also produces light olefins ethylene, propylene, and butenes, totalling a yield of 8.7%, which are important raw materials for the petrochemical industry and are presently also only obtained from fossil crude oil. As this carbon dioxide is extracted from air, and re-emitted from jet fuels when combusted in flight, the overall effect is a carbon-neutral fuel. This contrasts with jet fuels produced from hydrocarbon fossil sources where the combustion process unlocks the fossil carbon and places it into the atmosphere, in longevity, as aerial carbon - carbon dioxide.

Suggested Citation

  • Benzhen Yao & Tiancun Xiao & Ofentse A. Makgae & Xiangyu Jie & Sergio Gonzalez-Cortes & Shaoliang Guan & Angus I. Kirkland & Jonathan R. Dilworth & Hamid A. Al-Megren & Saeed M. Alshihri & Peter J. Do, 2020. "Transforming carbon dioxide into jet fuel using an organic combustion-synthesized Fe-Mn-K catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20214-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20214-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Yang, Zaoli & Ahmad, Salman & Bernardi, Andrea & Shang, Wen-long & Xuan, Jin & Xu, Bing, 2023. "Evaluating alternative low carbon fuel technologies using a stakeholder participation-based q-rung orthopair linguistic multi-criteria framework," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).
    2. Gössling, Stefan & Humpe, Andreas, 2023. "Net-zero aviation: Time for a new business model?," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    3. Simone Bachleitner & Özge Ata & Diethard Mattanovich, 2023. "The potential of CO2-based production cycles in biotechnology to fight the climate crisis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Sonia Dell’Aversano & Carlo Villante & Katia Gallucci & Giuseppina Vanga & Andrea Di Giuliano, 2024. "E-Fuels: A Comprehensive Review of the Most Promising Technological Alternatives towards an Energy Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-43, August.
    5. Zhou, Rui & Jin, Mingzhou & Li, Zhenglong & Xiao, Yang & McCollum, David & Li, Alicia, 2025. "Techno-economic analysis and network design for CO₂ conversion to jet fuels in the United States," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).

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