Development of zirconium-based catalysts for ethanol upgrading to jet fuel blends precursors

This thesis work is inserted in a broader and innovative strategy, firstly proposed by T. Tabanelli et al, for an alternative, heterogeneously catalysed, continuous flow process for the upgrading of ethanol to sustainable aviation fuels precursor mixtures. The simple and cheap multifunctional catalytic system consists of copper nanoparticles supported on zirconium oxides, allowing the promotion of a complex reaction scheme based on a cascade mechanism, which led to the production of a multi-component C6+ mixture with physicochemical properties close to those of the main jet fuels used worldwide. In this context, the work presented focused on attempting to make improvements to both the process and the catalytic system. First, an investigation was made into the feasibility of acetaldehyde and hydrogen recycling into the feed, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the process. Finally, other catalyst based on Ce and Zr mixed oxides were synthetised, fully characterised and tested in the target reaction, proving the crucial role of a careful balance between basic and acidic sites to improve catalyst efficiency and lifetime.