This research aims to convert bio-derived 2,3-butanediol to jet-range bio fuels. In the first step of the process – the conversion 2,3-butanediol to butene, the deactivation mechanism of the Cu/ZSM-5 catalyst was determined to be a combination of copper particle growth and the reduction in copper site accessibility by coke species. An improved Cu/ZSM-5 catalyst with a CsOH-treated support was devised to enhance catalyst longevity. In the second step – the oligomerization of butene, the effects of temperature, pressure, feed rate, and zeolite structure were deconvoluted to deduce optimal operation parameters, with HZSM-5 giving stable production of jet-range oligomers for 4 days.
