Last Updated on June 5, 2026 by Staff
Pollution and aviation emissions are two of the world’s biggest environmental problems. Every year millions of tons of waste end up in landfills and oceans. The aviation industry also contributes a lot to greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists have been searching for solutions that can address both issues at the time.
Now researchers from Nanjing Forestry University, Tsinghua University and other institutions in China have developed a method that converts waste into jet fuel. Their findings, published in Nature Energy suggest that discarded plastic could become a source of sustainable aviation fuel.
This breakthrough offers a way to reduce plastic pollution and help the aviation industry lower its dependence on fossil fuels.
A New Catalyst
The research team studied how plastics can be broken down into chemicals. They focused on developing an efficient catalyst, a material that speeds up chemical reactions without being used up.
Previous methods produced unwanted products making the process hard to control. To solve this the scientists designed a catalyst with atomic sites on a cobalt-aluminum oxide support.
The arrangement of these sites allowed them to control the chemical reactions needed to transform plastic into hydrocarbons. This improved selectivity was a factor behind the success of the new method.
The catalyst worked better than traditional commercial catalysts used in similar processes.
How It Works
The process uses a reactor system with multiple connected chambers. Plastic waste enters a reactor heated to 460 degrees Celsius.
At this stage a process called hydro-pyrolysis breaks the plastic into pieces. These pieces then move into a reactor operating at a lower temperature of approximately 160 degrees Celsius.
Inside this chamber the designed catalyst converts the pieces into cycloalkanes, energy-rich hydrocarbons used in aviation fuel.
The resulting product is a jet fuel with good fuel properties. Researchers found that the fuel is similar to jet fuel but is made from waste plastic materials.
This two-step process makes the conversion more efficient. Improves the quality of the final fuel.
Economic Potential
The researchers also examined whether the technology could be commercially viable. Their analysis showed results.
The estimated minimum selling price of the fuel ranges between $1.0 and $1.8 per kilogram. This makes it competitive with existing fuel production methods.
The researchers tested the catalyst at the gram scale. Found that both the catalyst and hydrogenation process worked well. This suggests the technology has potential for industrial applications.
The technology could offer both economic benefits if commercialized successfully.
Looking Ahead
The researchers believe their work shows that converting waste into aviation fuel is a realistic opportunity for sustainable fuel production and waste management.
The team plans to refine the catalyst to improve its efficiency and stability. Future research will focus on scaling up catalyst production and testing the technology on types of plastic waste.
If implemented on a scale the technology could help address two major global challenges: reducing plastic pollution and creating more sustainable aviation fuel. By transforming discarded plastic into an energy resource the new process offers a glimpse into a future where waste becomes an important part of the clean energy economy.
The breakthrough highlights how advanced catalyst design can unlock solutions for environmental problems. It may play a role in the transition, toward greener transportation and more sustainable industrial practices.