Plant scraps key component in making cheap, sustainable jet fuel

Researchers in China have found a way to convert plant waste from agriculture and timber into high-density aviation fuel.The research was published in the journal of Joule. The researchers found that this type of jet fuel would help in reducing Carbon Dioxide discharge from airplanes and rockets.Cellulose is the main component in the biofuel. It is a cheap, renewable, and highly abundant polymer that forms the cell walls of plants. While chain alkanes (such as branched octane, dodecane, and hexadecane) have previously been derived from cellulose for use in jet fuel, the researchers believe this is the first study to produce more complex polycycloalkane compounds that can be used as high-density aviation fuel."Our biofuel is important for mitigating CO2 emissions because it is derived from biomass and it has higher density compared with conventional aviation fuels. As we know, the utilization of high-density aviation fuel can significantly increase the range and payload of aircraft ...