We can now make sustainable jet fuel at the same temperature as a hot cup of tea.
April 3, 2026
Original Paper
Efficient Photothermal Conversion of Biomass Lipids into Sustainable Aviation Fuel Enabled over a PdPtRuCuNi/TiO2 high-entropy alloy catalyst
SSRN · 6511627
The Takeaway
Turning plant oils into aviation fuel usually requires massive amounts of energy and temperatures up to 400°C. A new 'high-entropy' catalyst does the same job at just 100°C, making the production of eco-friendly flight fuel much cheaper and easier.
From the abstract
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from biomass represents a promising alternative to conventional jet fuels. Herein, we report a PdPtRuCuNi/TiO₂ high-entropy alloy (HEA) catalyst, synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method, for the efficient hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of oils and fats into alkanes under mild conditions (100 °C, 0.4 MPa H₂). Characterization confirms the successful loading of HEA particles on TiO₂. The catalyst exhibits outstanding performance, achieving complete c