Researchers have developed a new method to convert squalene, which is produced b

y microalgae, to gasoline or jet fuel.

The study was part of a project by Japanese researchers that attempts to make us
e of oil-producing algae in wastewater treatment.
The new method developed by Professor Keiichi Tomishige and Dr Yoshinao Nakagawa
from Tohoku University, and Dr Hideo Watanabe from the University of Tsukuba us
es a catalyst with cerium oxide support and ruthenium metal particles.
The catalyst was prepared by mildly decomposing the ruthenium precursor at 300 d
egrees Celsius under inert atmosphere after impregnation.
This procedure led to sub-nanometre-sized ruthenium particles supported on ceriu
m oxide.
Squalane was treated with this catalyst and hydrogen to produce smaller hydrocar
bons.
The carbonu2013carbon bonds located between the methyl branches were selectively
dissociated, and branched alkanes were produced without the loss of branches.
Branched hydrocarbons are good components for gasoline and jet fuel because of t
he high octane number, low freezing point and good stability.
The conventional catalyst, the combination of platinum and strong solid acid, pr
oduces a very complex mixture of products.
In this catalyst system, the deposition of carbonaceous solid on the catalyst is
negligible, while it is often problematic in many catalytic reactions in petrol
eum refinery. The catalyst was reusable four times without loss of performance.
In the future, this catalytic conversion method can be applied to real wastewate
r samples and other important algal hydrocarbons, such as those from Botryococcu
s braunii, researchers said.