Jian Liu Headshot

Jian Liu

Assistant Professor

School of Chemistry and Materials Science
College of Science
Program Faculty, Chemical Engineering Department
Program Faculty, PhD Microsystems Engineering

585-475-5075
Office Location

Jian Liu

Assistant Professor

School of Chemistry and Materials Science
College of Science
Program Faculty, Chemical Engineering Department
Program Faculty, PhD Microsystems Engineering

Bio

Dr. Jian (Ken) Liu is an Assistant Professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at RIT since Jan. 2023. His research is focused on studying small molecule capture and catalytic transformations via thermal or photo- catalytic pathways using a wide range of porous composites. In particular, his group is interested in: (1) (fine)tuning catalytic performance beyond the active sites; (2) photo/thermal-catalytic small gas conversions; (3) guest-host interactions (e.g., greenhouse gases and MOF composites) using in-situ spectroscopy studies combining with computational collaborations. 

Prior to his current position, Dr. Liu gained his postdoctoral training of gas capture and conversions via MOF chemistry at Northwestern University in Hupp/Farha groups. Dr. Liu holds his Ph.D. degree in Materials Chemistry from Binghamton University - SUNY, where he worked with Prof. Wayne Jones on photocatalytic detoxification of environmental pollutants using electrospun TiO2 nanofibrous materials. 


We are currently looking for motivated undergraduate and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) students. Please contact Dr. Liu through emails, if you are interested.

585-475-5075

Personal Links
Areas of Expertise

Select Scholarship

1, Jian Liu, Ying Yang, Timothy A. Goetjen, Joseph T. Hupp. Carbon-Efficient Conversion of Natural Gas and Natural-Gas Condensates to Chemical Products and Intermediate Feedstocks via Catalytic MOF Chemistry, Energy Environ. Sci., 2022, 15, 2819-2842.

2, Jian Liu, Timothy A Goetjen, Qining Wang, Julia G Knapp, Megan C Wasson, Ying Yang, Zoha H Syed, Massimiliano Delferro, Justin M Notestein, Omar K Farha, Joseph T Hupp. MOF-enabled confinement and related effects for chemical catalyst presentation and utilization, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2022, 51, 1045-1097.

3, Jian Liu, Zhiyong Lu, Zhijie Chen, Martino Rimoldi, Ashlee J. Howarth, Haoyuan Chen, Selim Alayoglu, Randall Q. Snurr, Omar K. Farha, Joseph T. Hupp. Ammonia Capture within Zirconium Metal–Organic Frameworks: Reversible and Irreversible Uptake. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, 13, 17, 20081–20093.

4, Jian Liu, Zhanyong Li, Xuan Zhang, Ken-ichi Otake, Lin Zhang, Aaron W. Peters, Matthias J. Young, Nicholas M. Bedford, Steven P. Letourneau, David J. Mandia, Jeffrey W. Elam, Omar K. Farha, Joseph T. Hupp. Introducing Nonstructural Ligands to Zirconia-like Metal–Organic Framework Nodes To Tune the Activity of Node-Supported Nickel Catalysts for Ethylene Hydrogenation. ACS Catal. 2019, 9, 4, 3198–3207.

5, Jian Liu, Jingyun Ye, Zhanyong Li, Ken-ichi Otake, Yijun Liao, Aaron W. Peters, Hyunho Noh, Donald G. Truhlar, Laura Gagliardi, Christopher J. Cramer, Omar K. Farha, Joseph T. Hupp, Beyond the Active Site: Tuning the Activity and Selectivity of a Metal–Organic Framework-Supported Ni Catalyst for Ethylene Dimerization. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 36, 11174–11178.

6, Jian Liu, Danielle L. McCarthy, Michael J. Cowan, Emilly A. Obuya, Jared B. DeCoste, Kenneth H. Skorenko, Linyue Tong, Steven M. Boyer, William E. Bernier, Jr. Jones, Wayne E. Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 polycrystalline sub-micron fibers with variable rutile fraction. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2016, 187, 154-162. 

Currently Teaching

CHMG-123
3 Credits
The course will address three fundamental concepts of general chemistry by covering three aspects of all chemical reactions: kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamics. Acid/base and oxidation/reductions will be discussed. The chemistry of metals, ceramics and synthetic polymers will be covered, including electrochemistry and a brief overview of organic chemistry.
MTSE-601
3 Credits
This course provides an understanding of the relationship between structure and properties necessary for the development of new materials. Topics include atomic and crystal structure, crystalline defects, diffusion, theories, strengthening mechanisms, ferrous alloys, cast irons, structure of ceramics and polymeric materials and corrosion principles. Term paper on materials topic.