“Investigating and optimizing of the selectivity of Ni/Fe catalyst supported on mesoporous silica (SBA – 15) functionalized with sulfonic acid (-SO3H) for cracking non-edible vegetable oils to produce aviation fuel”
Country of Study
Tanzania
Institution
The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology
Expected Year of Completion
2027
Thematic Area
Energy and Engineering
Education
Francisca’s PhD thesis is in Sustainable Energy Science and Engineering. She holds an MSc in Sustainable Energy Science and Engineering from The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology in Tanzania. A PhD researcher at the same institution in Arusha, she is currently in her second year of PhD studies and is expected to complete her doctorate in 2027.
Research Summary
Francisca’s research is focused on optimizing the catalytic process for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from non-edible oils, addressing a significant gap in the aviation fuel industry. Current methods using zeolite-based catalysts are inefficient, yielding low quantities of fuel due to unwanted secondary reactions. To overcome this, Francisca proposes modifying the SBA-15 catalyst by introducing sulfonic acid groups to enhance its acidity, thereby improving its ability to catalyze cracking reactions. By optimizing the catalyst and reaction parameters, the study seeks to improve both the yield and quality of SAF. The research aims to diversify feedstocks, making the production process more sustainable and cost-effective, while supporting broader adoption of SAF in the aviation industry.
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