'Plastic trash is now a low-cost aircraft fuel': This new reactor system converts plastic waste into…
- Plastic waste can now be converted directly into usable jet fuel
- A tandem reactor system breaks plastic down at 460 degrees Celsius
- Ruthenium catalyst sites delivered far better selectivity than commercial alternatives
Researchers at Nanjing Forestry University and Tsinghua University have demonstrated a new method for converting plastic waste directly into usable jet fuel, with estimated production costs ranging from $1.0 to $1.8 per kilogram.
The work comes as airlines, governments, and fuel producers continue searching for alternatives that could reduce dependence on conventional fossil-derived jet fuel.
While the technology remains under further development, the researchers say their approach combines favourable fuel characteristics with economics that appear competitive on paper.
New reactor design turns waste plastic into aviation fuel
The study, published inNature Energy, shows a tandem reactor system using hydro-pyrolysis and hydrogenolysis can convert plastic waste into jet-fuel-range hydrocarbons.
The researchers note plastic material first enters a...
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