Mark Laber, left, a University of Dayton research partner, examines the expansion of aircraft seals using synthetic fuels. One of the uses of current aviation fuel is to swell seals found throughout the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Desiree N. Palacios)

Airman Magazine – Jet fuel is strange. It needs to have seemingly contradictory properties to make it useful. It can’t freeze. It can’t have a low flashpoint or easily vaporize. Yet, it must have a tremendous amount of energy for its volume and lubricate and seal fuel lines in aircraft. In the more than 30 years the Air Force has been studying its primary aircraft fuel, known as JP-8, scientists are still learning new things.

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