Catalytic conversion of triglycerides into diesel, jet fuel, and lube base oil

The conversion of biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals is essential for addressing environmental concerns, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy sector, enhancing energy security, and promoting economic and social development. Among various biomass feedstocks, triglycerides from diverse sources, such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and microalgal oils, are particularly suitable for producing sustainable hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals due to their low oxygen contents and highly paraffinic backbone in the fatty acid units, the structures of which are already quite similar to those of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons. This implies that relatively simple catalytic conversions can effectively convert triglycerides into hydrocarbon products. In this Perspective, we will provide an overview on the hydroconversion of triglycerides into oxygen-free fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel, and value-added products such as lube base oil. In addition, we will discuss the important structural properties of the required catalysts and the effects of different fatty acid compositions of triglycerides for each conversion process in light of reaction mechanisms.