Dapeng Liu

Professor and Doctoral Supervisor

Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

Contact

Email: dapeng.liu@xjtu.edu.cn

Biography

Dapeng Liu is a Professor and doctoral supervisor at Xi'an Jiaotong University. He is a recipient of the National Young Talent Program (Overseas) and the Xi'an Jiaotong University Young Top-notch Talent (Type A). His research focuses on laser diagnostics and reaction kinetics. He was awarded the Bernard Lewis Fellowship from The Combustion Institute and the SAS-CI Young Talent Award from the Saudi Arabian Section of The Combustion Institute. He serves as a reviewer for international journals including Proc. Combust. Inst., Combust. Flame, and Chem. Eng. J.. He was a session chair at the 40th International Symposium on Combustion.

Research Interests

Our research centers on experimentally resolving radical evolution and kinetics in combustion processes using advanced laser absorption spectroscopy, toward cleaner and more efficient fuel utilization.

• ❖        Radical Spectroscopy Diagnostics: Development of electronic absorption spectroscopy for highly sensitive, microsecond-resolved detection of transient radicals at high temperatures, targeting direct characterization of their rapid evolution and underlying reaction kinetics.

• ❖        Experimental Reaction Kinetics: High-fidelity characterization of key elementary reactions governing energy-conversion processes, focusing on rate coefficients, branching ratios, reaction pathways, and predictive structure–reactivity relationships.

• ❖        Future Fuels: Combustion characteristics and chemical kinetics of low- and zero-carbon fuels, bio-derived fuels, and aerospace propulsion fuels, with emphasis on improving combustion efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions.

Publications

# indicates corresponding author.

• 1.  Structural effects in the thermal decomposition of hexadienes

  Z. Wang; D. Liu#; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 42 (2026), 106467  

• 2.  Flow vaporization coupled with deep UV diagnostic for low‑volatility compounds: p‑Benzoquinone case study and generalized applications

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Fuel, 2026  

• 3.  Deep‑UV Diagnostics of crotonaldehyde thermal decomposition

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2026  

• 4.  Kinetics of neohexene: thermal decomposition and reaction with OH radicals

  Y. Xue; D. Liu#; Y. Li; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2026  

• 5.  Laser‑based speciation of 1,4‑pentadiene thermal decomposition behind reflected shock waves

  M. Sy; D. Liu#; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2026  

• 6.  Kinetics of methyl radical formation during dimethyl ether pyrolysis

  Z. Wang; D. Liu#; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2026  

• 7.  Thermal decomposition kinetics of furfural and furfuryl alcohol

  X. Zhang; D. Liu#; A. Farooq#; Y. Zhang; Z. Huang
  Combust. Flame, 2025  

• 8.  Sensitive shock tube measurements using multipass laser absorption spectroscopy

  H. Sun; M. Raza; S. Wang; D. Liu; D. Wen; H. Ning; W. Ren#
  Applied Physics B, 2025  

• 9.  Investigation of cyclopentyl ring‑opening β‑scission reaction

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2025  

• 10.  Investigation of 1,3‑Pentadiene thermal decomposition

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Fuel, 2025  

• 11.  Empirical rate rules for hydroxyl radical reactions with alkenes

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2025  

• 12.  Thermal decomposition of alkenes: role of allylic CC bond cleavage

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2024  

• 13.  Investigation of cyclopentene + OH and cyclopentene thermal decomposition reactions

  D. Liu; F. Khaled; W. Ren; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2024  

• 14.  A theoretical and experimental study of 2‑ethylfuran + OH reaction

  L. Fu; H. Ning; W. Ren; D. Liu; Z. Zhang; S. Wang; Y. Zhang; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2024  

• 15.  Allylic‑alkylic CC bond decomposition in 1‑butene and 1‑pentene

  C. Zhou; D. Liu#; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2024  

• 16.  Heptanone isomers as biofuel: Reactivity with OH radicals

  D. Liu; F. Khaled; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2024  

• 17.  Investigation of cyclohexene thermal decomposition and cyclohexene + OH reactions

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2023  

• 18.  Investigation of thermal decomposition of nitrobenzene: An energetic material

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2023  

• 19.  Gamma‑valerolactone (GVL) as a biofuel: Investigation of GVL thermal decomposition and GVL + OH reaction

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2023  

• 20.  Reaction kinetics for high pressure hydrogen oxy‑combustion in the presence of high levels of H₂O and CO₂

  A. Beigzadeh; T. A. Kashif; M. Alabbad; D. Liu; K. Aljohani; K. Hakimov#
  Combust. Flame, 2023  

• 21.  Reaction kinetics of OH radicals with 1,3,5‑trimethyl benzene: An experimental and theoretical study

  D. Liu; B. R. Giri; T. V. T. Mai; L. K. Huynh
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2023  

• 22.  Investigation of the kinetics of conjugated diolefins using UV absorption spectroscopy

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2023  

• 23.  The effect of hydrogen bonding on the reactivity of OH radicals with prenol and isoprenol

  S. Y. Mohamed; F. Khaled; D. Liu; M. Monge‑Palacios; A. Farooq#; B. R. Giri
  Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2022  

• 24.  A comprehensive study on low‑temperature oxidation chemistry of cyclohexane. II

  J. Zou; A. Farooq#; H. Jin; D. Liu; X. Zhang; H. Su; J. Yang; Y. Li
  Combust. Flame, 2022  

• 25.  Symmetric ethers as bioderived fuels: Reactivity with OH radicals

  M. Belmekki; B. R. Giri#; D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Energy & Fuels, 2021  

• 26.  First aromatic ring formation by the radical‑chain reaction of vinylacetylene and propargyl

  H. Jin; L. Xing; D. Liu; J. Hao; J. Yang; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2021  

• 27.  High temperature branching ratio of acetaldehyde + OH reaction

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#; B. R. Giri
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2021  

• 28.  A mid‑infrared diagnostic for benzene using a tunable difference‑frequency‑generation laser

  M. K. Shakfa; A. Farooq#; M. Mhanna; H. Jin; D. Liu; K. Djebbi; M. Marangoni
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2021  

• 29.  On the redox reactions between allyl radicals and NOx

  D. Liu; B. R. Giri; M. Szőri; B. Viskolcz; E. Es‑sebbar; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2021  

• 30.  Kinetics and thermochemistry of cyclohexadienes reactions with hydroxyl radicals

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#; B. R. Giri; M. Szőri; B. Viskolcz; L. K. Huynh
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2021  

• 31.  A high temperature shock tube study of phenyl recombination reaction using laser absorption spectroscopy

  H. Jin; B. R. Giri#; D. Liu; A. Farooq#
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2021  

• 32.  Chemical kinetics of hydroxyl reactions with cyclopentadiene and indene

  H. Jin; D. Liu; J. Zou; J. Hao; C. Shao; S. M. Sarathy; A. Farooq#
  Combust. Flame, 2020  

• 33.  QCL‑based dual‑comb spectrometer for multi‑species measurements at high temperatures and high pressures

  G. Zhang; A. Farooq#; R. Horvath; D. Liu; M. Geiser
  Sensors, 2020  

• 34.  Cyclic ketones as future fuels: reactivity with OH radicals[Cover Article]

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#; B. R. Giri
  The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2019  

• 35.  Insights into the reactions of hydroxyl radical with diolefins from atmospheric to combustion environments

  F. Khaled; A. Farooq#; B. R. Giri; D. Liu; E. Assaf; C. Fittschen
  The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2019  

• 36.  A shock tube kinetic study on the branching ratio of methanol + OH reaction

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#; B. R. Giri
  Proc. Combust. Inst., 2019  

• 37.  A theoretical and shock tube kinetic study on hydrogen abstraction from phenyl formate

  H. Ning; A. Farooq#; D. Liu; J. Wu; L. Ma; W. Ren
  Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2018  

• 38.  H‑abstraction by OH from large branched alkanes: Overall rate measurements and site‑specific tertiary rate calculations

  D. Liu; A. Farooq#; F. Khaled; B. R. Giri; E. Assaf; C. Fittschen
  The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2017  

Book Chapters

• ❖        D. Liu. Chapter in Physical Chemistry at the Intersection of Combustion and Atmospheric Sciences, Elsevier, 2026.

Education

• ❖        Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 2017.08 – 2021.12.

• ❖        M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 2015.08 – 2017.07.

• ❖        B.S. in Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University(XJTU), 2010.08 – 2014.07.

Honors & Awards

• ★        Bernard Lewis Fellowship, The Combustion Institute.

• ★        SAS-CI Young Talent Award, Saudi Arabian Section of The Combustion Institute.

• ★        National Young Talent Program.

• ★        Xi'an Jiaotong University Young Top-notch Talent (Type A).

Academic Service

• ❖        Reviewer for Proc. Combust. Inst., Combust. Flame, Chem. Eng. J., and others.

• ❖        Session Chair, 40th International Symposium on Combustion.

Admissions

We have 1–2 openings each year for Master’s and Ph.D. students, as well as opportunities for postdoctoral researchers. Motivated candidates with backgrounds in laser diagnostics, clean energy, chemistry, or related fields are encouraged to contact Prof. Liu to discuss potential research opportunities.