Finnish Chemical Society Young Researcher Prize 2025
The recipient of the Young Researcher Award is chosen among the Master Theses submitted by the Finnish Universities in the field of chemistry or chemistry engineering. Among the Theses from 2024, the Finnish Chemical Society Young Researcher Prize in 2025 is awarded to Siarhei Balshakou for his Master of Science in Technology Thesis entitled” Production of fuel fractions from renewable ethene-propene mixture over Ni/HZSM-5”. The Academic research project has been completed at LUT University.
Air traffic, especially long-haul intercontinental flights, is predicted to grow rapidly, and with it the demand for aviation fuels will also continue to grow. This will significantly increase the need for liquid hydrocarbons. At the same time, as traditional fossil raw materials decrease, alternative non-fossil fuels must be developed that meet traditional aircraft engine requirements.
A topic of particular interest in this Thesis is the catalytic conversion of light olefins into synthetic, liquid fuels. The research focuses on the oligomerization of ethylene and propylene. These are the most widely used olefinic feedstocks worldwide to produce practical aviation fuel fractions. Alternatively, both monomers can be sustainably synthesized from non-fossil sources, such as e-methanol as part of the “methanol-to-olefins” process, for example when producing bioethanol from wood, grass or crops, or from degradable waste polymers.
Although the oligomerization of olefins has been known for decades, finding suitable catalysts for the reaction remains a significant challenge. These catalysts require long-term stability and selectivity towards specific fractions. In addition, the catalysts must enable high conversion levels and yields, and be economically viable under industrial conditions. Furthermore, the catalysts should only promote the formation of linear carbon chains, as the formation of branched or cyclic hydrocarbons reduces the fuel utility of the resulting mixtures.
In the experimental part of the study, an acidic mesoporous zeolite (HZSM-5) with a Si/Al ratio of 30% was used, in addition to which the Ni content was varied (0 wt%, 0.42 wt% and 0.63 wt%) in the applied wet impregnation method. Before the experiments, the catalysts were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) methods.
According to the findings in the Thesis research, operating conditions such as temperature, pressure and turnover rate greatly influence the chemical composition transformation, product yield and structural distribution. Although lower temperatures thermodynamically favor oligomerization, temperatures above 300 °C favor the increase of gasoline-like fractions. Furthermore, the selectivity for the formation of the jet fuel fraction increases from 48% to 65% when the pressure is doubled from 20 bar to 40 bar.
The incorporation of nickel particles into the zeolite framework of the catalyst dramatically changes the catalyst performance and product distribution. At 300 °C, 30 bar pressure and ethylene feed, nearly 100% conversion is achieved within 90 min, compared to approximately 10% conversion in the corresponding catalyst sample without added nickel.
The evaluation committee has decided on the award proposal based on the systematic and coherent design, implementation and analysis of the research work. The author of the work demonstrates extensive mastery of the chemical foundations of the work and the methodological expertise related to the analysis of the results.
In addition, clear and precise reporting of the results of the work is likely to complement the view of the importance of chemical expertise and understanding of methods as a starting point for broader and socially significant chemical expertise, especially in such a topical topic as sustainable aviation fuel product development.
The Master’s Thesis in Technology presented for the award is now available at the following website: https://lutpub.lut.fi/handle/10024/167702