An international team of researchers has found an innovative method to store and release volatile hydrogen using jet fuel made from lignin, paving the way for more sustainable energy solutions. A recent study showcased how scientists created a specific type of lignin-based jet fuel that can stabilize hydrogen in liquid form, opening up various possibilities for fuel and transportation applications. This advancement may simplify the process of utilizing hydrogen as a clean, high-energy fuel source with zero emissions.
An international team of scientists has discovered a way to store and release volatile hydrogen using lignin-based jet fuel that could open new pathways for sustainable energy production.
In their recent publication in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Professor Bin Yang from Washington State University and his team revealed that their lignin-derived jet fuel can chemically hold hydrogen as a stable liquid. This research holds great promise for fueling methods and transportation systems and could facilitate the effective use of hydrogen as a powerful and eco-friendly energy source.
According to Yang, “This innovative lignin jet fuel technology can allow for effective, high-density storage of hydrogen in a manageable sustainable aviation fuel, thus eliminating the need for high-pressure storage tanks.”
For this study, researchers from WSU, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the University of New Haven, and Natural Resources Canada aimed to tackle one of the key obstacles in employing hydrogen as a fuel. The lightest element’s low density, combined with its explosive properties, complicates its storage and transportation, making these processes inefficient and costly.
The article published in January outlines how the research team identified a novel method for hydrogen storage through chemical reactions that yield aromatic carbons and hydrogen from the lignin-based jet fuel, which is an experimental biofuel generated in Yang’s lab from lignin—a natural polymer present in plants.
Yang noted, “Hydrogen is a flexible energy carrier that could assist the U.S. in achieving its zero-emission mobility goals, integrating renewables, and decarbonizing various industrial sectors.”
This finding introduces new potential applications for the lignin jet fuel pioneered by Yang at WSU, who had previously experimented with a continuous process to create the fuel from agricultural byproducts. Trials have indicated that this sustainably produced fuel could improve engine performance and efficiency while eliminating harmful aromatic compounds typically found in regular fuels.
Yang emphasized that “This breakthrough presents exciting possibilities for compatibility with current infrastructure and economic feasibility for mass production,” adding that it could foster a joint system that improves the efficiency, safety, and environmental advantages of both sustainable aviation fuel and hydrogen technologies.
Next, researchers at WSU plan to partner with scientists from the University of New Haven to develop an AI-optimized catalyst aimed at enhancing these reactions, making them more efficient and economically viable.
Funding for this research is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, along with its Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
