About

Devinder Mahajan is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, Canada, earned in 1979, and has a distinguished career focused on low carbon energy technologies. His research interests include energy policy issues, development and implementation of low carbon energy technologies, and energy research at the chemical engineering and chemistry interface. His work encompasses clean fuel production technologies that complement CO2 mitigation, utilizing methane hydrates, methane, and biomass for catalytic methanol, mixed alcohols, and hydrocarbon Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, as well as ultra-deep hydrodesulfurization, extremophiles-mediated hydrogen production for fuel-cell applications, and geothermal energy minerals extraction from brines. Mahajan has held various academic and research positions, including Scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory and adjunct faculty roles at the University of Akron and The City University of New York. His numerous honors include the Marie Curie Senior Researcher award, Jefferson Science Fellowship, and recognition for mentorship and innovation in energy research.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Environmental science
• Engineering
• Waste management
• Economics
• Organic chemistry
• Environmental engineering
• Process engineering
• Materials science

Selected publications

• Comparative Carbon Intensity Assessment for Renewable Natural Gas Transportation Options

  ACS Omega · 2026-01-30

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Renewable natural gas (RNG) is associated with reduced emissions but a comparison of its transport modes is needed. For this study, carbon intensity (CI) values were calculated using the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET-2024 version) life cycle analysis model and its California version, CA-GREET 4.0. RNG transport by pipeline was found to have the lowest CI score over medium to long distances due to the high energy efficiency of the transmission network. Compressed natural gas (CNG) tube trailers had the lowest carbon intensity (3.2 gCO2e/MJ) over shorter distances (up to 250 miles) due to minimal static emissions, but their limited payload capacity leads to higher delivery emissions (1.56 gCO2e/MJ per 100 miles) over distances above 250 miles. As a result, liquid natural gas (LNG) trailer transport, despite having higher static emissions (10.2 gCO2e/MJ), becomes more favorable over longer distances (above 650 miles) due to its superior delivery efficiency. These findings suggest that while CNG transport is advantageous for short hauls, pipeline transmission remains the most efficient option, with LNG trailers only becoming competitive over long distances (over 900 miles). The study provides utilities and RNG producers data to consider transport options with the lowest carbon footprint.

  PublisherDOI

• Selective Synthesis of Oxygenates from Syngas: Strategies and Implications

  OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) · 2025-03-04

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The liquid phase oxygenates synthesis catalyst development work continues at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Presently, efforts are primarily concentrated on methanol synthesis via LLTMeOH technology which allows >90% syngas conversion per pass at 50°-130°C with balanced gas (H₂/CO = 2/1). A set of batch runs were conducted to derive a kinetic rate expression for the system. Of particular interest is an almost third-order dependence on base concentration and an exponential term to explain the negative effect of methanol on rate. Work is underway to maximize carbon monoxide utilization in CO-rich syngas (H₂/CO = 1). To this effect, a catalytic one-step synthesis of methyl formate (a C₂ ester) has been achieved utilizing a novel catalyst system.

  PublisherOA PDF

• A Review of CO2 Clathrate Hydrate Technology: From Lab-Scale Preparation to Cold Thermal Energy Storage Solutions

  Energies · 2025-05-21 · 8 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Carbon dioxide (CO2) clathrate hydrate is gaining attention as a promising material for cold thermal energy storage (CTES) due to its high energy storage capacity and low environmental footprint. It shows strong potential in building applications, where space cooling accounts for nearly 40% of total energy use and over 85% of electricity demand in developed countries. CO2 hydrates are also being explored for use in refrigeration, cold chain logistics, supercomputing, biomedical cooling, and defense systems. With the growing number of applications in mind, this review focuses on the thermal behavior of CO2 hydrates and their environmental impact. It highlights recent efforts to reduce formation pressure and temperature using chemical promoters and surfactants. This paper also reviews key experimental techniques used to study hydrate properties, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-pressure differential scanning calorimetry (HP-DSC), and the T-history method. In lifecycle comparisons, CO2 hydrate systems show better energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions than traditional ice or other phase-change materials (PCMs). This review also discusses current commercialization challenges such as high energy input during formation and promoter toxicity. Finally, practical strategies to move CO2 hydrate-based CTES from lab-scale studies to real-world cooling and temperature control applications are discussed.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Biomass Feedstock-based Technology (Invited Presentation)

  2025-01-17

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Review of Biomass Pyrolysis for Production of Fuels: Chemistry, Processing, and Techno-Economic Analysis

  Biomass · 2025-09-09 · 19 citations

  reviewOpen accessCorresponding

  Biomass pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that breaks down organic matter in the absence of oxygen, offering a sustainable route for converting biomass into bio-oil, biochar, and syngas. This review provides a comprehensive overview of pyrolysis, focusing on its fundamental principles, modes, and its applications across different industries. It covers major pyrolysis types and explores the reactors used in these processes and how key parameters, such as temperature, heating rate, and residence time, impact the distribution and quality of pyrolysis products. Special attention is given to bio-oil upgrading methods, including catalytic and non-catalytic processes, and how they affect fuel quality. The study also presents techno-economic assessments of various pathways, identifying cost-effective configurations like pyrolysis combined with hydrotreatment and heat integration. Despite encouraging advancements, scaling up bio-oil technologies continues to face significant challenges, primarily due to cost competitiveness and variability in feedstock supply. This review emphasizes the critical need for continued innovation in reactor design, catalyst efficiency, and integrated process optimization, alongside supportive policy frameworks and strategic investments to accelerate commercial deployment. Finally, this review aims to help researchers, engineers, and policymakers work together to advance pyrolysis technology as a practical solution for producing low-carbon fuels and chemicals.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• MOF-Supported Intermetallic Pt-Ni Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2024-08-09 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  The catalyst support materials demonstrate great influence on the performance and durability of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have been the focus of many Pt alloyed catalyst supports due to their large surface areas and well-defined pore structures. MOF-based carbon supports and a special class of MOFs that have a zeolite-type structure, and Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) offer high ORR activity and enhanced stability of Pt-alloyed catalysts due to their porous structure, large surface area, and good electrical conductivity. In this study, we used two different MOF-based supports, Mn-NC and ZIF-67 derived Co-NC, to synthesize a nitrogen (N)-doped intermetallic PtNi catalyst. The synthesized material exhibits enhanced ORR activity and stability in an acidic electrolyte that is superior to commercial Pt/C catalyst. The rotating disk electrode (RDE) measurements of the PtNi/Co-NC catalyst demonstrated that the mass activity (MA) and specific activity (SA) are 0.9 A mg Pt -1 and 1.8 mA cm -2 , respectively at 0.9 V. The synthesized PtNi/Mn-NC catalyst demonstrated 1.4 A mg Pt -1 and 2.1 mA cm -2 at 0.9 V, which are higher than those achieved with the commercial Pt/C. The MEA performance of the MOF-based PtNi catalysts will also be discussed. The mechanism of the enhanced performance of the catalysts is being formulated, based on in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis. This work provides a promising approach to improve the activity and stability of binary and ternary Pt-based electrocatalysts for ORR by the use of MOF-based supports.

  PublisherDOI

• Investigation of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance by Exploring the Synergistic Effects of Reaction Parameters via Power Curve and Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis

  Energies · 2024-05-24 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  In this paper, a comprehensive analysis of the parameters that affect polymer electrolyte membrane fuel-cell performance is presented. Experiments were conducted on a single fuel cell membrane with an active area of 5 cm2. To study the fuel cell operation, parametric studies of temperature, pressure and relative humidity values were conducted under cyclic voltammetry for impedance analysis. The impact of the behavior of all three parameters on the fuel-cell performance were recorded and analyzed. As the temperature increased from 50 °C to 74 °C, the Pt catalyst surface areas demonstrated lower activation losses as the membrane conductivity increased. It is confirmed that an increase in temperature accompanied higher humidity levels to provide sufficient cell hydration that resulted in a higher performance output. The impedance measurements indicate that low humidity levels resulted in higher cell resistance and mass transport losses. As the back pressure increased, the membrane resistance decreased, which also reduced mass transport losses. The results indicate that the important factors affecting the fuel cell performance are mass transport limitation and membrane resistance. Based on the results of this study, the optimum performance can be achieved by operating at higher pressures and temperatures with humidified reactant gases.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Hydrogen Storage Properties of Metal-Modified Graphene Materials

  Energies · 2024-08-09 · 22 citations

  articleOpen access

  The absence of adequate methods for hydrogen storage has prevented the implementation of hydrogen as a major source of energy. Graphene-based materials have been considered for use as solid hydrogen storage, because of graphene’s high specific surface area. However, these materials alone do not meet the hydrogen storage standard of 6.5 wt.% set by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). They can, however, be easily modified through either decoration or doping to alter their chemical properties and increase their hydrogen storage capacity. This review is a compilation of various published reports on this topic and summarizes results from theoretical and experimental studies that explore the hydrogen storage properties of metal-modified graphene materials. The efficacy of alkali, alkaline earth metal, and transition metal decoration is examined. In addition, metal doping to further increase storage capacity is considered. Methods for hydrogen storage capacity measurements are later explained and the properties of an effective hydrogen storage material are summarized.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• AB1375 TOFACITINIB AS ALTERNATIVE TO TNF BLOCKERS IN REFRACTORY ANTERIOR UVEITIS - AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

  Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases · 2024-06-01 · 3 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Towards the Optimization of a Photovoltaic/Membrane Distillation System for the Production of Pure Water

  Membranes · 2024-05-13 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  The production of pure water plays a pivotal role in enabling sustainable green hydrogen production through electrolysis. The current industrial approach for generating pure water relies on energy-intensive techniques such as reverse osmosis. This study unveils a straightforward method to produce pure water, employing real-world units derived from previously simulated and developed laboratory devices. This demonstrated system is cost-effective and boasts low energy consumption, utilizing membrane distillation (MD) driven by the waste heat harnessed from photovoltaic (PV) panels. In a previous study, modeling simulations were conducted to optimize the multi-layered MD system, serving as a blueprint for the construction of prototype devices with a suitable selection of materials, enabling the construction of field-testable units. The most efficient PV-MD device, featuring evaporation and condensation zones constructed from steel sheets and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes, is capable of yielding high-purity water with conductivity levels below 145 μS with high flux rates.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• I/UCRC Center for Bioenergy Research and Development

  NSF · $429k · 2008–2015

Frequent coauthors

• Hazem Tawfik

  Stony Brook University

  53 shared

• Yue Hung

  Farmingdale State College

  21 shared

• Prasad B. Kerkar

  Stony Brook University

  20 shared

• K.M. El–Khatib

  17 shared

• Jake Lindberg

  Stony Brook University

  16 shared

• Y. Hung

  Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica

  16 shared

• Xiaoli Chai

  State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse

  15 shared

• T. Butcher

  Brookhaven National Laboratory

  14 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  1990

• M.S., Chemical Engineering

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  1986

• B.S., Chemical Engineering

  University of Rajasthan

  1984

Awards & honors

• Marie Curie Senior Researcher, 2013-17
• Jefferson Science Fellow, 2011-12
• Outstanding Mentor Award, Office of Science, United States D…
• Associate Editor-Bioenergy, Journal of Renewable and Sustain…
• Member, Editorial Board, The Open Petroleum Journal, BENTHAM…