Advancing Waste Plastic Valorization: Catalytic Production of Aviation Fuel over Zeolite and Ru/CNT-Based Catalysts

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This work investigates the hydroprocessing of polyolefins using both model and waste plastics. A catalyst screening using low-density polyethylene (LDPE) identified Ru/CNT ox + HY (Si/Al = 24) and Ru/CNT ox + CNT ox + HY as the most effective systems for producing hydrocarbons in the aviation fuel range (C 8 –C 16 ). Under optimized conditions (i.e., 325 °C, 30 bar H 2, 3 h), the Ru/CNT ox + HY catalytic system produced up to 80% liquids in the C 8 –C 16 range with significant isomerization (iso/ n = 4). When applied to real plastic residues, such as used pipet tips and a plastic bag, C 8 –C 16 selectivities of 80–90% in the liquid phase were achieved, with iso/ n ratios of up to 9. These results highlight the potential of combining carbon-supported metal catalysts with zeolites as a robust bifunctional catalytic system for the valorization of plastic waste into high-quality aviation fuel, contributing to sustainable solutions for plastic management and energy production.