B.S. Applied Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 1997
Ph.D. Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2005

Dr. Liu is an assistant professor of chemistry at University of Colorado Denver (UCD). His research is mainly focused on understanding chemical aging of atmospheric aerosol and heterogeneous interaction of chemically labile species with environmental surfaces in indoor environments, and their implications in atmospheric composition, air quality, public health and climate change on local, regional and global scales. His current projects include laboratory study of 1.) reaction kinetics and mechanism, and changes in physiochemical, hygroscopic, and toxicological properties of aerosol particles due to their heterogeneous reaction with O3; 2.) indoor ozone interfacial chemistry; and 3.) gas-liquid partition equilibrium.

He obtained his Ph. D. degree from University of Michigan, where he worked in the laboratory of Prof. John Barker experimentally and theoretically studying the kinetics and dynamics of aqueous and gaseous free radical reactions of atmospheric importance. He joined PNNL as a postdoctoral researcher under the supervision of Dr. Alexander Laskin. As a postdoctoral researcher, he was responsible for the design and development of novel analytical methods based on sample-on-substrate approach for chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosol and heterogeneous aerosol reaction. He then worked in the laboratory of Prof. Mario Molina at UCSD focusing on kinetic and mechanistic study of chemical transformation of atmospheric particulate organic matter using various gas-phase and surface analysis techniques. Dr. Liu assumed the position of assistant professor at UCD in 2009. He is currently engaged in developing versatile and inexpensive molecular spectroscopic methods for environmental chemistry study.

Gao, X. Y.; Zhang Y. H.; Liu, Y.*, Kinetics study of heterogeneous reaction of n-butylamine with succinic acid using an ATR-FTIR flow reactor, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2018, DOI: 10.1039/c8cp01914b

Gao, X. Y.; Zhang Y. H.; Liu, Y.*,Temperature-dependent hygroscopic behaviors of atmospherically relevant water-soluble carboxylic acid salts studied by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, Atmos. Environ., 2018, 191, 312-319.

Stockwell, C. E.; Kupc, A.; Witkowski, B.; Talukdar, R. K.; Liu, Y.; Selmovic, V.; Zarzana, K. J.;Sekimoto, K.; Warneke, C.; Washenfelder, R. A.; Yokelson, R.J.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Roberts, J. M.; Characterization of a catalyst-based conversion technique to measure total particulate nitrogen and organic carbon and comparison to a particle mass measurement instrument, Atmos. Meas Tech., 2018, 11, 2749-2768.  

Roberts, J. E.^&; Zeng. G.; Maron, M. K.; Mindy Mach^#; Dwebi, I.^#; Liu, Y.* Measuring Heterogeneous Reaction Rates with ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy To Evaluate Chemical Fates in an Atmospheric Environment: A Physical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory Experiment, J. Chem. Educ., 2016, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00290

Duncan, J. K.^#; Leng, C. B.; Roberts, J. E.^&; Mach, M.^#; Dwebi, I.^#; Liu, Y.* Measuring Temperature Dependent Henry`s Law Constants of Atmospheric Amines using Bubble Column Technique, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2015, 119(33), 8884-8891.

Leng, C. B.; Pang, S. F.;  Zhang, Y.; Cai, C.; Liu, Y.* Zhang, Y. H.*, Vacuum FTIR Observation on the Dynamic Hygroscopicity and Efflorescence of Aerosols under Pulsed Relative Humidity, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2015, 49(15),9107-9115.

Leng, C. B.; Roberts, E. R.^&; Zeng, G.; Zhang, Y. H.; Liu, Y.* Effects of Temperature, pH, and Ionic Strength on the Henry`s Law Constant of Triethylamine, Geophys. Res. Lett., 2015, DOI: 10.1002/2015GL063840

Zeng, G. Kelley, J.^#; Kish, J. D.^#; Liu, Y.*, Temperature Dependent Deliquescent and Efflorescent Properties of Methanesulfonate Sodium Studied by ATR-IR Spectroscopy. J. Phys. Chem. A, 2014, 118 (3), 583–591.

Leng, C. B.; Hiltner, J.^#; Pham, H. ^&; Kelley, J.^#; Mach, M.^#; Zhang, Y. H.; Liu, Y.*, Kinetics Study of Heterogeneous Reaction of Ozone with Erucic Acid Using an ATR-IR Flow Reactor. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2014, 16(9), 4350-4360.

Leng, C.; Kish, J. D.^#; Kelley, J.^#; Hiltner, J.^#; Zhang, Y.H.; Liu, Y.*, Temperature Dependent Henry’s Law Constants of Atmospheric Organics of Biogenic Origin, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2013, 117 (40), 10359–10367

Kish, J. D.^#; Leng, C.; Kelley, J.^#; Hiltner, J.^#; Zhang, Y.H.; Liu, Y.*, An improved approach for measuring Henry’s law coefficients of atmospheric organics, Atmos. Environ. 2013, 79, 561-565. 

Fu, D.^#;  Leng, C.; Kelley, J.^#; Zhang, Y.H.; Liu, Y.*, ATR-IR Study of Ozone Initiated Heterogeneous Oxidation of Squalene in an Indoor Environment, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2013, 47 (18), 10611–10618

Zeng, G. Holladay, S.^#; Langlois, D.^#; Zhang, Y.H.*; Liu, Y.*, Kinetics of heterogeneous reaction of ozone with linoleic acid and its dependence on temperature, physical state, RH, and ozone concentration, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2013, 117(9),1963-1974.

Yu, J.Y.; Zhang, Y.; Tan, S.H.; Liu, Y.*; Zhang, Y.H.*, Observation on the ion association equilibriums in NaNO3 droplets using micro-Raman spectroscopy, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2012,116(41):12581-12589.

Yu, J.Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zeng, G.; Zheng, C.M.; Liu, Y.*; Zhang, Y.H.*, Suppression of NaNO3 Crystal Nucleation by Glycerol: Micro-Raman Observation on the Efflorescence Process of Mixed Glycerol/NaNO3/ Water Droplets, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2012, 116, 12581-12589.

#: UCD Undergraduate students;  &: UCD master students; *: Corresponding authors.

CHEM 1130 Engineering General Chemistry
CHEM 2031 General Chemistry I
CHEM 3111 Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 4121 Instrumental Analysis
CHEM 4518/4538 Physical Chemistry Laboratory I and II
CHEM 4110/5110 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
Atmospheric Chemistry