Russian researchers find potential alternative to conventional jet fuel

Standard aviation kerosene relies on aromatic compounds that increase both carbon emissions and acoustic pressure during combustion. This chemical bottleneck makes aircraft loud and carbon-heavy. To bypass this, researchers from the Institute of Thermophysics SB RAS, Tomsk Polytechnic University, the South Russian State Polytechnic University, and chemists from Ufa developed a method to synthesize Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from wood processing waste and agricultural residue. The engineering shift focuses on feedstock: instead of food crops, which compete with food security, the team used pine sawdust and sunflower husks. These materials are processed into a bio-kerosene that lacks the aromatics found in petroleum. This structural change alters the combustion process, reducing the sound pressure level during takeoff and flight. From Biomass to Combustion The production process creates a closed carbon loop. Plants absorb carbon dioxide during growth, which is then released during fuel combustion, preventing the addition of new carbon into the atmosphere. The team verified the fuel's stability through a three-stage test sequence: chemical composition analysis, evaluation of atomization and evaporation, and live firing tests in small-scale gas turbine units.