Unmet Need
Current plastic waste management practices demand extensive mechanical recycling and landfill capacities. As such, much plastic waste often ends up in the ocean with detrimental consequences. At the same time, there is an even larger push for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in the aviation industry, prompting a need for more sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Plastic waste can potentially meet this demand by being converted into SAFs. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop an effective system to upcycle waste plastics into sustainable aviation fuels.
Value Proposition
o Uses marine ocean plastic as a feedstock, thereby turning waste into value
o Performs at atmospheric pressure with naturally abundant catalysts and short reaction times
o SAF yield >28%
o >80% of high-density polyethylene can be converted into gaseous hydrocarbons, C5-C6 hydrocarbons and C7-C16 hydrocarbons for SAFs
Technology Description
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have invented a robust and portable upcycling system that can covert marine plastic waste into sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). The system consists of a plug-flow reactor (PFR) with catalytic reforming functionality. In this system, halloysite-base catalysts will convert plastic waste into SAFs, including C7-C16 hydrocarbons. C7-C16 hydrocarbons represent typical compounds used in aviation fuel blends, as aviation fuel is often a kerosene type fuel (DOE).
Stage of Development
The technology is currently a prototype.
Data Availability
Data available upon request.
Publication
N/A
