In a recent study published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Washington State University's Professor Bin Yang and colleagues showed that a lignin-based jet fuel they produced can chemically bind hydrogen in a stable liquid form.
Bin Yang, professor in WSU's Department of Biological Systems Engineering, stands with Andrew Lipton, scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, next to a nuclear magnetic resonance instrument used in experiments on new sustainable fuels. Image Credit: Andrea Starr and Eddie Pablo | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
This international team of scientists has developed a technique to store and release volatile hydrogen using lignin-based jet fuel, potentially opening up new avenues for sustainable energy generation.
The study has multiple possible applications in fuels and transportation, and it could eventually make it easier to capitalize on hydrogen’s potential as a high-energy, zero-emission fuel source.
This new, lignin jet fuel-based technology could enable efficient, high-density hydrogen storage in an easy-to-handle sustainable aviation fuel, eliminating the need for pressurized tanks for storage and transport.
Bin Yang, Professor, Washington State University
Researchers from WSU, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the University of New Haven, and Natural Resources Canada collaborated on the study to address one of the primary obstacles associated with using hydrogen as a fuel. The lightest element’s low density and explosive nature make storage and transportation technically difficult, inefficient, and costly.
The January study describes how the study team identified the new hydrogen-storing mechanism by leveraging chemical reactions to make aromatic carbons and hydrogen from lignin jet fuel, which Yang’s group developed as an experimental fuel based on lignin, an organic polymer found in plants.
Yang added, “Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that could help the US meet its targets for zero-emission mobility, integration of renewables, and decarbonization of industry.”
The result led to new applications for Yang’s lignin jet fuel, which he created at WSU after testing a new continuous technique to produce the fuel from agricultural waste. Experiments have demonstrated that sustainably produced fuel can improve engine performance and efficiency while eliminating aromatics, the polluting elements found in conventional fuels.
“This innovation offers promising opportunities for compatibility with existing infrastructure and economic viability for scalable production. It could help create a synergistic system that enhances the efficiency, safety, and ecological benefits of both sustainable aviation fuel and hydrogen technologies,” Yang stated.
Next, WSU researchers will work with scientists at the University of New Haven to develop an AI-powered catalyst that improves and completes processes, making them more efficient and cost-effective.
The study was funded by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as well as the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Journal Reference:
Lipton, A. S., et. al. (2025) In-situ dehydrogenation of lignin-based jet fuel: A novel and sustainable liquid organic hydrogen carrier. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.12.082