Issue 6, 2022

Thermal cyclodimerization of isoprene for the production of high-performance sustainable aviation fuel

Abstract

Isoprene was converted to a jet fuel blendstock through thermal cyclodimerization followed by hydrogenation. The dimerization was performed at moderate temperature (200 °C) and completed in 90 min. The product distribution consisted of six isomers produced via Diels–Alder [4+2]-cycloadditions as well as [4+4]-cycloadditions. The hydrogenation reactions were conducted with Pt, Pd, and Ni-based catalysts. The Pt and Ni catalysts yielded >99% saturated C10H20 products, while significant quantities of p- and m-cymene were generated with the Pd-catalyst. The hydrogenated isoprene dimers (HID) exhibited outstanding fuel properties including a gravimetric net heat of combustion (NHOC) of 43.34 MJ kg−1, a density of 0.806 g mL−1, and a −20 °C kinematic viscosity of 3.10 mm2 s−1. These values are 1.3% higher, 4% higher, and 61% lower, respectively, compared to the Jet-A specifications. These properties suggest that HID can be used as a blendstock with either conventional jet fuel or bio-based synthetic paraffinic kerosenes (SPKs) to enhance the operability and performance of the final fuel blend. The catalyst- and solvent-free dimerization method is amenable to a high-throughput process for fuel production. In combination with biosynthetic generation of isoprene or isoprene precursors, the approach described herein holds great promise for the formulation of drop-in sustainable aviation fuels.

Graphical abstract: Thermal cyclodimerization of isoprene for the production of high-performance sustainable aviation fuel

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 jan 2022
Accepted
26 mrt 2022
First published
08 apr 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Energy Adv., 2022,1, 338-343

Thermal cyclodimerization of isoprene for the production of high-performance sustainable aviation fuel

J. Woodroffe and B. G. Harvey, Energy Adv., 2022, 1, 338 DOI: 10.1039/D2YA00017B

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