By contrast, fuel properties can be predicted based on their chemical composition prediction of chemical composition requires a small amount of fuel sample. However, the measurement of fuel properties is time-consuming, cost-intensive, and limited to the operating conditions. Prior to being used, the physicochemical properties of aviation fuels, such as the density, net heat of combustion (NHOC), low-temperature fluidity, flash point, and thermal-oxidative stability, should be comprehensively evaluated. Thus, the relationship between the chemical composition and properties of hydrocarbon fuels must be understood to support the development of new alternative fuels and enhance the properties of current aviation fuels. The difference in the physicochemical properties of aviation fuels should be attributed to their varied chemical composition. From a long-term and strategic perspective, the fundamental properties of hydrocarbon fuels should be further evaluated and improved to meet severe requirements. Meanwhile, such development also presents new challenges to the performance of liquid hydrocarbon fuels. However, the sustained and steadily growing demand for air transportation has resulted in the increased aviation fuel consumption, which propels the diversified development of new alternative fuels from non-petroleum resources, e.g., oil sands, oil shale, coal, natural/shale gas, biomass, etc. Liquid hydrocarbon fuels are the dominant energy source in global air transportation, and they have developed rapidly in recent years. The results from the least-square method implicate that the coupling of H/C molar ratio and M is suitable for the estimation of density, NHOC, viscosity and effectiveness for the design, manufacture, and evaluation of aviation hydrocarbon fuels. Additionally, we correlated the fuel properties with hydrogen/carbon molar ratios ( n H/C) and molecular weight ( M). Several correlations and predictions of fuel properties from chemical composition were reviewed. This work summarized the effects of fuel composition and hydrocarbon molecular structure on the fuel physicochemical properties, including density, net heat of combustion (NHOC), low-temperature fluidity (viscosity and freezing point), flash point, and thermal-oxidative stability. Thus, a thorough investigation should be conducted on the inherent relationship between fuel properties and composition for the design and synthesis of high-grade fuels and the prediction of fuel properties in the future. The physicochemical properties of aerospace fuels are directly influenced by chemical composition.
The development of advanced air transportation has raised new demands for high-performance liquid hydrocarbon fuels.