Dr. Yujie Mao is a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Aston University. 

Before joining Aston University in August 2025, Dr. Mao’s academic and research career was based at the University of Nottingham. After graduating with a first-class BEng in Chemical Engineering in 2016, she pursued her PhD (2016–2020) under the supervision of Prof. Eleanor Binner and Prof. Steve Harding in the Microwave Processing Engineering research group. Her doctoral thesis focused on novel microwave-assisted pectin extraction from food waste, aiming to inform process selection for Rhamnogalacturonan-I pectin production with prebiotic functionalities, something that cannot be produced in the current commercial pectin industry. Following that, she joined the Low Carbon Energy and Resources Technologies research group as a postdoctoral research fellow (2020–2025), continuing her work with Prof. Eleanor Binner and Prof. John Robinson. During her postdoctoral research, she expanded her focus to second-generation lignocellulosic biomass and the development of sustainable pretreatment methods to efficiently separate cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, aiming to improve the amenability of these fractions for downstream applications in bioenergy, biochemicals, and advanced materials.

My research addresses the urgent need to replace fossil fuel–derived chemicals and materials with sustainable alternatives by developing transformative biorefinery technologies for lignocellulosic biomass. The overarching aim is to support the transition to a net-zero and circular economy by converting abundant but underutilised biomass resources into high-value chemicals and advanced biopolymer materials.

My work focuses particularly on lignin, the most abundant renewable aromatic polymer and one of the least utilised components of biomass. Unlocking lignin’s potential is critical for enabling economically viable and sustainable biorefineries. My research investigates the structure, chemistry, and reactivity of lignin to understand how its complex and heterogeneous architecture can be selectively transformed through controlled depolymerisation, functionalisation, and repolymerisation into advanced polymeric materials.

A key aspect of my work is the development of innovative processing strategies, including deep eutectic solvent (DES)–based chemistries and microwave-assisted transformations, explored as distinct yet complementary approaches to enhance reaction selectivity, efficiency, and process intensification. By gaining a fundamental understanding of how biomass and biopolymers interact with solvents and microwave heating at the molecular level, and linking these interactions to product functionalities and outcomes, I aim to develop value-added biomaterials and design efficient, scalable processes that offer greener alternatives to conventional chemical manufacturing.

My research area is within UN Sustainable Development Goals 3, 7 and 12 towards better living, carbon neutralisation and waste minimisation.

El1CBE Introduction to Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

EI2CPD Process Design 

CE3APD - Advanced Process Design

CE4PRJ - Research Project

EI4DPE - Digital Process Engineering

Member, EPSRC Peer Review College, 2026–present

Member, Reviewer Pool, Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), 2026–present 

Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)

Associate Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (AMIChemE)

Early-career Committee Member, Engineering Research Accelerator (ERA) Network 

Email: [email protected]; Office room: MB124

As primary supervisor:

Oct 2026 – Mar 2030 | Ran Tao, Aston University
Project title (indicative): Advancing Sustainable Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Lignin Valorisation with Computational Tools  
Role: Primary supervisor 
Co-supervisors: Dr Amirpiran Amiri

Oct 2026 – Sep 2030 | Anya Nila (through Net2Zero CDT), Aston University
Project title (indicative): Lignin-Derived Microporous Adsorbents for CO₂ Capture 
Role: Primary supervisor 
Co-supervisors: Dr Qingchun Yuan, Professor Jude Onwudili 

Current PhD Co-supervision:

Jan 2026 – Dec 2029 | Yashveer Dwarka, Aston University 
Project: Green Ammonia Production from Biomass Waste: System Modelling for Digital Twin Development 
Role: Associate supervisor 
Primary supervisor: Dr Amirpiran Amiri

Apr 2026 – Mar 2030 | Azubuike Ashinze, Aston University 
Project: Sustainable Recovery of Lithium and Other Precious Metals from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries 
Role: Associate supervisor 
Primary supervisor: Professor Jude Onwudili

Dec 2022 – Nov 2026 | Dwi Ajias Pramasari, University of Nottingham 
Project: Valorisation of Sugarcane Tops and Leaves for the Production of Hemicellulose-based Products 
Role: Associate supervisor 
Primary supervisor: Professor Eleanor Binner

Oct. 2026 – Sep. 2027 | Royal Society Research Grant 
Project title: Beyond Heat: Electromagnetic Effects in Lignin Transformation  
Funding value: £29,799.60  
Role: Principal Investigator (PI) 
 
Apr. 2026 – Apr. 2028 | EPSRC Grant: Unlocking the full potential of nature-based engineering  
Project title: Mussel-Inspired, Tea-Derived Eutectogel Bioadhesives for Skin Dressing (TEAGEL)  
Funding value: £498,425  
Role: Principal Investigator (PI) 
Co-Investigator: Professor Paul Topham, Dr Alfred Fernandez-Castane, Dr Stephane Gross. Researcher Co-Investigator: Dr Longinus Igbojionu. International collaborators: Professor Karen Edler (Lund University, Sweden), Professor Chunlin Xu (Abo-akademi University, Finland). Industrial collaborator: Dr Charlie Winkworth-Smith (Saicho Ltd).  
 
Jan 2026 – Jul 2026 | EPS Seed Corn Fund 2025, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University 
Project title: Lignin-to-Carbon: A New Route to High-Value Porous Carbons from Sustainable Designer Lignin for CO₂ Capture 
Funding value: £11,995.50 
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)  
Co-Investigator: Professor Jude Onwudili; Researcher Assistant: Bogusz Ankiel

Jan 2026 – May 2026 | Business Interaction Voucher, Supergen Bioenergy Hub, EPSRC/BBSRC-hub 
Project title: Sweet Solvents for Green Futures: Innovative Natural Sugar-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent Pretreatment to Boost Sustainable Biogas Production  
Funding value: £14,901  
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)  
Industrial Co-Investigator: Dr Hayden Morgan, Dr Aoife Cantwell-Jones (Future Biogas); Research Assistant: Taiwo Salau

Aug 2025 – Jul 2027 | Aston University Starting Grant for New Academic Staff  
Funding value: £10,000  
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)  

Jun 2025 – Dec 2025 | EPSRC Impact Accelerator Award – ECR Springboard Round 2025, held at University of Nottingham  
Project title: Scaling up an innovative microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent (Mw-DES) system for sustainable biopolymer processing  
Funding value: £26,099 
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)  
Co-Investigator: Professor Eleanor Binner; Industrial collaborator: Annabelle Cox (Tensei Ltd)

May 2023 – Apr 2024 | Proof of Concept (PoC) Award, High Value Biorenewables Network (HVB), BBSRC NIBB
Project title: Development of an innovative biomass fractionation process for novel applications from food and agricultural residues  
Funding value: £49,998  
Role: Researcher Co-Investigator  
Principal Investigator: Professor Eleanor Binner; Industrial Co-Investigator: Ellie Purvis (Tensei Ltd)