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Our research in the field of alternative fuels spans coal cleaning and gasification to methanol and dimethylether(DME) synthesis from syngas, followed by its subsequent conversion to value-added chemicals. The C1-chemistry expertise has been applied to efficient hydrogen generation technology and bioethanol conversion technology, in addition to the processing and utilization of biomass and crop oils.

Coal Cleaning research encompasses desulfurization of coal, mercury removal, and production/utilization of coal byproducts.

Our contributions in the area of methanol synthesis from CO-rich as well as H2-rich syngas have been quite comprehensive. Funding for this research began from the early 1980s by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) for methanol synthesis and continued for more than a decade. Recent funding for hydrogen generation process development has been provided by the U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Center, Radian, Inc., and DRS Technical Services, Inc. Through these years, salient features of our process research include:

Methanol synthesis
Methanol synthesis catalyst regeneration
Methanol synthesis utilizing nonconventional feedstocks
Single-step dimethyl ether synthesis
Dimethyl ether to gasoline
Dimethyl ether to lower olefins
Dimethyl ether to higher ethers and alcohols
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Hydrogen generation from diesel reforming
Hydrogen generation from JP-8 reforming
Hydrogen generation from bioethanol reforming
Hydrogen generation from lignocellulosic feedstocks
High-temperature hydrogen generation technology
Biomass gasification
Biomass-to-liquid conversion
Processing/conversion of crop oils for jet fuels and other transportation fuels
Transportation fuels from waste materials
Oil shale pyrolysis and processing of tar sands

Dr. Lee has authored the following books which comprehensively cover the technical aspects of alternative fuels and feedstocks. Authoritative reviews on a variety of issues of processing of fuels and alternative fuels, in addition to chemicals, biomaterials, nanomaterials, and polymers, by worldwide scholars are also presented in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing (2006) by Taylor & Francis Inc. Dr. Lee is the Editor of this encyclopedia.

S. Lee, Author, "Methanol Synthesis Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN-0-8493-4610-X, 1990.

S. Lee, Author, "Oil Shale Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN-0-8493-4615-0, 1991.

S. Lee, Author, "Methane and Its Derivatives", Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY, ISBN-0-8247-9754-X, 1997.

S. Lee, Author, "Alternative Fuels", Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., ISBN-1-56032-361-2, 1997.

S. Lee, J. G. Speight, and S. K. Loyalka, "Handbook of Alternative Fuel technologies", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN 0-8247-4069-6, 2007.

An up-to-date text/reference book on "Biofuels" is currently being authored by Dr. Lee and Dr. Y.T. Shah. The new book will be published by CRC Press in June 2010.

Authoritative reviews on a variety of issues of processing of fuels and alternative fuels by worldwide scholars are also presented in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing (2006) by Taylor & Francis Inc. Dr. Lee is the Editor of this encyclopedia. Currently, 5 large volumes with over 300 chapters are available both in print and on-line. More up-to-date topical entries of scientific and technological significance are constantly added as quarterly on-line updates.

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