Currently, the considerable decline in fossil fuel resources and the high rise in vehicle emissions have prompted researchers and governments to formulate strategies for sustainable energy development. In addition to imposing strict laws, promoting sustainable energy sources such as the development of new types of non-fossil fuels has been considered a suitable direction for the roadmap to healing the Earth's environment. Biomass sources have affirmed huge potentials in the production of biofuels. In the pathway of searching renewable biofuels, it is found that that 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) can become a promising fuel because it is synthesized from lignocellulose biomass, which is an available feedstock for the production of prospective fuels. Indeed, recent review studies have focused in great detail on engine performance evaluation using DMF but seemed to have gaps in emission characteristics. In this work, the controversial issues of emissions from spark and compression ignition engines during the DMF combustion were completely assessed. Indeed, the mechanism of formation and oxidation of DMF compounds during combustion was clearly described to serve as the basis for analyzing and comparing the pollution emission behavior of different fuels. More importantly, gaseous emissions, PM characteristics, and soot tendency from spark and compression ignition engines were thoroughly evaluated on the basis of the experimental and numerical data. In general, DMF has shown outstanding advantages upon emissions compared to fossil fuels; however, the impacts of DMF on the engine durability and fuel system should be further investigated to have a comprehensive analysis of this biofuel class.
Keywords: Catalyst synthesis; DMF; Decomposition; Emission characteristics; Engine application.