Synthesis of sustainable aviation fuels via (co–)oligomerization of light olefins

• Differences in homo-oligomerization of propylene and 1-butylene were revealed. • Co-oligomerization of olefin mixtures as a promising pathway towards kerosene. • High olefin conversions and kerosene selectivities of up to 85% were reached. • Increased fuel qualities possible by applying two catalyst beds in series. • Fuel characteristics were determined and largely comply with standards. Within this study, the (co–)oligomerization of methanol-based olefins in the C 2-4 range was investigated. The main objective was to increase the yield of oligomers with carbon chain lengths in the range of kerosene (C 9-16 ). Commercially available mesoporous amorphous mixed silicon-aluminum oxides, optionally modified with nickel species, were applied as catalysts. Initially, single olefin feeds were employed, i.e. homo-oligomerization reactions of pure propylene and pure 1-butylene were studied at 120 °C and 32 bar olefin partial pressure, respectively. The co-oligomerization of olefin mixtures (C 3+4 and C 2+3+4 ), which can be obtained in Methanol-to-Olefins (MtO) processes, yields product mixtures with reduced selectivities to specific chain lengths. However, selectivities to kerosene-like olefins up to 85 % have been achieved and the main side product is gasoline. Investigations with varying reaction conditions reveal comparable effects as in the case of homo-oligomerization. The use of nickel-free catalysts resulted in the highest selectivities of kerosene-like olefins, but no ethylene was converted. The negative effects of nickel catalysts on fuel quality can be compensated by two consecutive catalyst beds, the first catalyst bed with a nickel-loaded silicon-aluminum oxide for ethylene conversion followed by a catalyst bed of neat silicon-aluminum oxide for the synthesis of highly branched, long chain oligomers. The reaction network for olefin oligomerization reactions is depicted, which can be simplified remarkably in the case of catalysts without nickel. A long-term experiment lasting for more than 200 h was conducted revealing a deactivation of the acid sites of the catalysts, but also the possibility of reactivation. Selectivity to kerosene-like olefins remained above 63 % and fuel characterization showed that the resulting kerosene fraction will be suitable for blending with conventional fuels.