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Curtin University of Technology
Curtin Chemical Engineering

Professor Chun-Zhu Li



Professor Chun-Zhu Li

Room: 610:140
Phone: 08 9266 1133
Fax: 08 9266 1138
E-mail: chun-zhu.li@curtin.edu.au

Qualification

Professional Appointments

Relevant Professional Activities

Current Research and Professional Interests

  1. Coal science and technology
    • Production of liquid fuels and chemicals from the pyrolysis of coal and subsequent refinery
    • Gasification of coal
    • Oxy-fuel combustion of coal
    • Combustion of dewatered/dried brown coal
    • Formation and destruction of air pollutants (e.g. NOx) during coal combustion and gasification
    • Other uses of brown coal (e.g. synthesis of specialised nano materials or catalysts)
    • Properties and structure of coal
  2. Bio-energy science and engineering
    • Production of bio-oil from the pyrolysis of biomass (solid wastes)
    • Bio-refinery
    • Gasification of biomass (solid wastes), particularly for distributed power generation
  3. Utilisation of waste plastics
    • Production of diesel from the pyrolysis of waste plastics
    • Development of novel catalysts for the pyrolysis of waste plastics
  4. Fundamental catalysis and natural gas conversion
    • Desorption of radicals from catalyst surface and the mass transfer of radicals
    • Direct use of nano-particles as catalysts
    • Catalytic processes of ultra-short contact time
  5. Fuel cell technology
    • Novel materials for fuel cell electrodes (with Dr H Wang of Monash University)

Selected Recent Publications

  1. Books
    • C.-Z. Li (Editor), Advances in the Science of Victorian Brown Coal (ISBN: 0-08-0442692), Elsevier, 2004. Dr Li is also the co-author of three chapters in the book.
  2. Journal Papers (2007)
    • S. S. A. Syed-Hassan, W. J. Lee and C.-Z. Li, Positive and negative catalytic effects of a nickel mesh catalyst for the partial oxidation of ethane, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2009, 147, 307-315.
    • X. Guo, H. L. Tay, S. Zhang and C.-Z. Li, Changes in char structure during the gasification of a Victorian brown coal in steam and oxygen at 800��C, Energy & Fuels, 2008, 22, 4034���4038.
    • D. M. Keown, X. Li, J.-i. Hayashi and C.-Z. Li, Evolution of biomass char structure during oxidation in O2 as revealed with FT-Raman spectroscopy, Fuel Processing Technology, 2008, 89, 1429-1435.
    • S. Hosokai, K. Kumabe, M. Ohshita, K. Norinaga, C.-Z. Li and J.-i. Hayashi, Mechanism of decomposition of aromatics over charcoal and necessary condition for maintaining its activity, Fuel, 2008, 87, 2914-2922.
    • W. J. Lee and C.-Z. Li, Opposite effects of gas flow rate on the rate of formation of carbon during the pyrolysis of ethane and acetylene on a nickel mesh catalyst, Carbon, 2008, 46, 1208-1217.
    • S. Hosokai, M. Sugawa, K. Norinaga, C.-Z. Li and J.-i. Hayashi, Activity of mesoporous alumina particles for biomass steam reforming in a fluidized-bed reactor and its application to a dual-gas-flow two-stage reactor system, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2008, 47, 5346-5352.
    • M. Garcia-Perez, S. Wang, J. Shen, M. Rhodes, W.J. Lee and C.-Z. Li, Effects of temperature on the formation of lignin-derived oligomers during the fast pyrolysis of mallee woody biomass, Energy & Fuels, 2008, 22, 2022-2032.
    • M. Garcia-Perez, X.S. Wang, J. Shen, M.J. Rhodes, F. Tian, W.-J. Lee, H. Wu and C.-Z. Li, Fast pyrolysis of oil mallee woody biomass: Effect of temperature on the yield and quality of pyrolysis products, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2008, 47, 1846-1854.
    • D. M. Keown, J.-i. Hayashi and C.-Z. Li, Effects of volatile-char interactions on the volatilisation of alkali and alkaline earth metallic species during the pyrolysis of biomass, Fuel, 2008, 87, 1187-1194.
    • D. M. Keown, J.-i. Hayashi and C.-Z. Li, Drastic changes in biomass char structure and reactivity upon contact with steam, Fuel, 2008, 87, 1127-1132.
    • L. J. McKenzie, F.-J. Tian, X. Guo and C.-Z. Li, NH3 and HCN formation during the gasification of three rank-ordered coals in steam and oxygen, Fuel, 2008, 87, 1102-1107.
    • W.�� Zhu, F. Zhao, J. Yao, X. Zhang, H.�� Wang, C. Xia and C.-Z. Li, Humic acids as a complexible fuel for combustion synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 2007, 90, 4012-4014.
    • L. J. McKenzie, F.-J. Tian and C.-Z. Li, NH3 formation and destruction during the gasification of coal in oxygen and steam, Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41, 5505-5509.
    • D. M. Keown, X. Li, J.-i. Hayashi and C.-Z. Li, Characterisation of the structural features of char from the pyrolysis of cane trash using Fourier Transform-Raman spectroscopy, Energy & Fuels, 2007, 21, 1816-1821.
    • C.-Z. Li, Some recent advances in the understanding of the pyrolysis and gasification behaviour of Victorian brown coal, Fuel, 2007, 86, 1664-1683.
    • F.-J. Tian, J. Yu, L. J. McKenzie, J.-i. Hayashi and C.-Z. Li, Conversion of fuel-N into HCN and NH3 during the pyrolysis and gasification in steam: A comparative study of coal and biomass, Energy & Fuels, 2007, 21, 517-521.
    • J. Yu, F.-J. Tian and C.-Z. Li, Novel water-gas-shift reaction catalyst from iron-loaded Victorian brown coal, Energy & Fuels, 2007, 21, 395-398.
    • O. Ma��ek, N.�� Sonoyama, E. Ohtsubo, S. Hosokai, C.-Z. Li, T. Chiba and J.-i. Hayashi, Examination of catalytic roles of inherent metallic species in steam reforming of nascent volatiles from the rapid pyrolysis of a brown coal, Fuel Processing Technology, 2007, 88, 179-185.
    • T. Kitsuka, B. Bayarsaikhan, N. Sonoyama, S. Hosokai, C.-Z. Li, K. Norinaga and J.-i. Hayashi, Behavior of inherent metallic species as a crucial factor for kinetics of steam gasification of char from coal pyrolysis, Energy & Fuels, 2007, 21, 387-394.
    • C. Zeng, S. Clayton, H. Wu, J.-i. Hayashi and C.-Z. Li, Effects of dewatering on the pyrolysis and gasification reactivity of Victorian brown coal, Energy & Fuels, 2007, 21, 399-404.
    • W. J. Lee and C.-Z. Li, Coke formation and reaction pathways of catalyst-surface-generated radicals during the pyrolysis of ethane using Ni mesh catalyst, Applied Catalysis A: General, 2007, 316, 90-99.