A review of syngas from corn stover gasification for sustainable aviation fuels: Progress, process, challenges, and perspectives for future development

Over recent decades, global efforts to decarbonize the atmosphere and advance environmentally benign pathways for sustainable development have intensified. Agricultural residues such as corn stover, represent a promising solution due to its global abundance, renewability, and advantageous sustainability profile for the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) via gasification, with significant potential to displace fossil-derived jet fuels by converting carbonaceous materials into synthesis gas (syngas), primarily composed of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Despite its versatility, large-scale deployment of biomass gasification for SAF production remains limited by challenges related to feedstock heterogeneity, supply chain logistics, tar formation, suboptimal H2/CO ratios, and economic feasibility. This review critically examines the role of corn stover physicochemical properties, pretreatment strategies, gasification operating parameters, and syngas conditioning in improving syngas quality for the gasification–Fischer–Tropsch (GFT) pathway. Emphasis is placed on strategies to enhance hydrogen content, mitigate tar formation, and reduce overall production costs. Although its composition is promising for gasification, results from corn stover gasification across different studies and regions for syngas yield, H2/CO ratio, and tar yield were 51.9%-81.8%, 0.48-1.49, and 3.96%-54%, respectively. Following results were done under different gasifying systems with gasifiers and gasifying medium having significant impact on concentrations of tar and volume of H2 and CO yield. Advancements in GFT-based SAF technologies can accelerate innovation and support the transition toward a sustainable bioeconomy. Furthermore, this study provides a strategic framework to help policymakers and stakeholders align existing gasification technologies with the commercial and regulatory requirements of aviation sector.