Researchers from Washington State University, University of New Haven, and Natural Resources Canada have discovered a way to store and release hydrogen using lignin-based jet fuel; an open-access paper on the work is published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

A new and sustainable liquid organic hydrogen carrier, Lignin Jet Fuel-based Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LJF-HyC), has been discovered. This innovative LOHC is created from Lignin Jet Fuel (LJF) through dehydrogenation reactions. The process was carried out in situ using platinum nanoparticles supported on zeolite, resulting in a significant increase in aromatic carbon content. This increase indicates the successful formation of aromatic rings via C–H dissociation.

In-situ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and gas chromatographic analyses revealed the formation of unsaturated and partially unsaturated compounds, including alkylbenzenes, tetralins, naphthalenes with double bond equivalence of 4–8, from six apparent reaction pathways, four of which can be major. The original LJF, consisting primarily of mono-, di-, and tricyclohexylalkanes (96 wt%), was converted to dehydrogenated products, constituting approximately 18.5 wt% of the LJF composition. These findings pave the way for developing sustainable hydrogen carriers derived from sustainable aviation fuels.

—Lipon et al.

Lipton et al.

The research team discovered the new hydrogen-storing process using chemical reactions that produced aromatic carbons and hydrogen from lignin jet fuel—an experimental fuel developed at WSU based on lignin, an organic polymer found in plants. The discovery points to new uses for the lignin jet fuel developed at WSU by Professor Yang, who previously tested a new continuous process that creates the fuel from agricultural waste.

Experiments have shown that the sustainably produced fuel could increase engine performance

Next, WSU researchers will collaborate with scientists at the University of New Haven to design an AI-driven catalyst that enhances and completes the reactions, making them more efficient and cost-effective.

Resources

• Andrew S. Lipton, Terak Ibrahim, William Schwartz, Rafal Gieleciak, Dequan Xiao, Bin Yang, In-situ dehydrogenation of lignin-based jet fuel: A novel and sustainable liquid organic hydrogen carrier, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Volume 98, 2025, Pages 1275-1282, ISSN 0360-3199, doi: j.ijhydene.2024.12.082