Controlled alkylation of lignin-based aromatics over N-ZSM-5 catalysts for the production of C8-C15 aromatics in jet fuels

High-carbon aromatics (C8-C15) from lignocellulosic biomass offer sustainable alternatives to fossil-based jet fuels. This study demonstrates a gas-phase alkylation strategy using lignin-derived benzene and light olefins (ethylene/propylene) over nano-ZSM-5 catalysts (N-ZSM-5) to produce aviation fuel-range aromatics. Reducing ZSM-5 particle size enhanced product yields by shortening diffusion paths, while optimizing the Si/Al ratio (6–300) modulated catalyst acidity to improve alkylation efficiency. Under optimized conditions (250°C, 2 MPa, 1.017 h− 1 space velocity, benzene: ethylene: propylene = 1.5:1.0:0.67), the system achieved 84.5% benzene conversion with 98% olefin conversions. High-carbon aromatic selectivity reached 84.75% with 50.6% yield, demonstrating superior catalytic performance. This work advances solid acid catalyst design for converting biomass-derived chemicals into sustainable aviation fuels through efficient alkylation processes.