Hanwu Lei, Ph.D.
Professor and Scientist
Research and Teaching Interests
Dr. Lei’s work is in the BSysE Bioenergy and Bioproducts Engineering research emphasis area. He is dedicated to helping students gain the skills and information they need to develop their ability and succeed in engineering discipline and professional life.
Dr. Lei’s research focus is on discovering and applying novel approaches for biofuels and bioproducts development, renewable energy technologies, and cost-effective biomass conversion technologies. Together with his team and collaborators, he works on a number of exciting research projects funded by DOE, USDA, JCATI, SunGrant, etc., and investigates the mechanisms responsible for the generation of fuel components and high value chemicals and materials.
Dr. Lei’s research interests include biomass thermochemical conversions (torrefaction, pyrolysis, liquefaction, aqueous phase reforming, catalytic processes, and bio-oil upgrading) to produce jet fuels, aromatics, cycloalkanes, phenols, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, syngas, biofuels, bioproducts, and use of biochar for carbon sequestration, activated carbon, and CO2 capture. Dr. Lei’s research activities also include biomass pretreatment for biological or chemical conversions to renewable energy and bioproducts, especially working on hydrothermal pretreatment and organosolv clean fractionation processes.
See more at my Research Site.
My Research In the News
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Dr. Hanwu Lei Featured by USDA NIFA
June 12, 2019 | NIFA Update
A research group led by Washington State University (WSU) scientists has found a way to turn daily plastic waste products into jet fuel.
In a new paper published in the journal Applied Energy, WSU’s Hanwu Lei and colleagues melted plastic waste at high temperature with activated carbon, a processed carbon with increased surface area, to produce jet fuel.
“Waste plastic is a huge problem worldwide,” said Lei, a professor in WSU’s Department of Biological System … » More …
Read Story
- Plastic water bottles may one day fly people cross-country
- WSU researchers creating catalyst to improve jet biofuel production
- Highly Cited Research
- Student represents U.S. at sustainable chemistry school
- Dr. Hanwu Lei and his research group featured in a top journal
- Bioresource Technology, Best Paper Award 2015
- Tri-Cities Student Selected for Sustainable Energy Program
- Early Career Award
- WSU Tri-Cities prof receives grant to study high-energy biofuels
Email Dr. Lei
509-372-7628
Fax: 509-372-7690
BSEL 225
Biological Systems Engineering
Washington State University
Tri-Cities Campus
Richland, WA 99354-1670
Curriculum Vitae
Research Site
Google Scholar