Use of supported Nickel Catalysts for the synthesis of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Nowadays, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production is insufficient to cover the growing needs of the aviation sector. The European Commission has set a target for fuels supplied to EU airports to contain 70% SAF by 2050, representing a quantity of 40 million tons of SAF. To address this challenge, UNiCSAFe aims at developing new efficient and sustainable catalysts for alkylbenzene synthesis (SAF precursor). Alkylbenzene are synthesized by oligomerization of ethylene followed by Friedel Crafts alkylation of aromatic compounds (both precursors can be produced from biosources or CO2). All effective processes described in the literature are based on homogeneous catalysts (with a large excess of AlCl3) which prevents the easy separation of catalyst from the desired SAF precursor. To circumvent this, the Surface Organometallic Chemistry (SOMC), combining the advantages of both heterogeneous and molecular chemistry (well-defined catalysts that can be easily recycled), is a powerful approach that will allow the synthesis of new supported nickel catalysts for the tandem ethylene oligomerization/Friedel-Crafts alkylation. The rational development of such catalysts will be tackled by combining experimental and theoretical means. Beyond synthetic work and catalyst evaluation, the project targets a better understanding of the reaction mechanism, allowing fine-tuning of the second generation of catalysts (more efficient, selective and sustainable) for SAF precursor synthesis. In conclusion, UNiCSAFe represents a first step toward the development of a technology for SAF production, which is a gateway to increase the share of renewable energies in aviation industries.The UNiCSAFe project merges advanced organometallic chemistry, including SOMC, catalysis and both experimental and theoretical mechanistic investigation. Thus, it provides an excellent platform to develop and bolster my scientific- and soft-skills, and strengthen my profile to pursue my own independent career.