Researchers at Prairie Research Institute convert plastic waste to SAF
A study by scientists at the Prairie Research Institute in Illinois has revealed that waste plastic can be transformed into a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), according to a report by Prairie Research Institute.
Researchers from the institute’s Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) have successfully depolymerized polystyrene plastic to create a crude oil that can be blended with traditional aviation fuel to improve its performance.
The resulting fuel exhibits higher density, lower viscosity, and a lower freezing point, making it more suitable for use in aircraft.
Funded by the US Department of Energy, the study aimed to address the growing need for SAFs as the aviation sector seeks to reduce carbon emissions. “Planes will continue to burn fuel,” said Hong Lu, a research scientist at ISTC. “To reduce carbon emissions associated with aviation fuel, SAF is the only option.”
The team’s findings could significantly increase the availability of SAF by overcoming challenges posed by some synthetic paraffinic kerosenes that don’t meet current aviation standards. This advance aligns with the US Department of Energy’s SAF Grand Challenge, which aims to produce 3bn gallons of SAF domestically by 2030 and achieve 100% sustainable jet fuel use by 2050.
“The more plastic is recycled instead of landfilled, the lower the cost of SAF from waste plastics will be,” said Lu. “Everyone can contribute to carbon reduction by simply throwing a piece of plastic into a recycling bin instead of a landfill one.”
While the study demonstrates the feasibility of using waste plastic for aviation fuel, the researchers acknowledge that scaling up production and reducing costs remain significant hurdles.
They are currently seeking funding for a second phase of the project to address these challenges.
The researchers believe that advanced sorting technologies can effectively manage the risks associated with food contamination and certain plastic additives. Initial economic modeling suggests that sourcing waste plastic for aviation fuel is viable, given the substantial amount of plastic waste available.