Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content

Mechanical Engineering

Zhi Liang imageZhi Liang
Assistant Professor
Ph.D.

Email: zliang@csufresno.edu

Office: Engineering East 130

Phone: 559.278.2375               

Mailing Address: 2320 E. San Ramon Ave., MS/EE 94, Fresno, CA 93740-8030            

More Information about Dr. Liang:

  • Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering (Aug 2016-Present) California State University, Fresno
  • Post Doctoral Research Associate (May 2012 – July 2016) Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Adjunct Lecturer (August 2015-May 2016) School of Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Post Doctoral Fellow (May 2010-May 2012) Department of Mechanical and  Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology.
  • Graduate Research Assistant, (August 2004 – May 2010) Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Instructor (August 2008-December 2009) Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Teaching Assistant (August 2004-May 2008) Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

  • Thermodynamic
  • Heat and Mass Transfer
  • Fluid Mechanics Lab
  • Heat Transfer
  • Micro/nanoscale Heat and Mass Transfer

Reviewer for

  • Applied Physics Letters
  • AMSE IMECE
  • Chemical Physics Letters
  • Nano Letters              
  • Nanoscale
  • Nanotechnology
  • International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
  • International Journal of Thermal Sciences
  • International Journal of Thermophysics
  • Journal of Applied Physics
  • Journal of Chemical Physics
  • Journal of Heat Transfer
  • Journal of Molecular Liquids
  • Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 
  • Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics              
  • Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
  • Semiconductor Science and Technology                   

Member of advisory panel for Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 2010
  • M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China 2004 
  • B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China 2001

Grants:

  • “Understanding the merging dynamics of surface nanobubbles and the resulting capillary force between particles from molecular simulations”, sole PI: Zhi Liang, NSF/CBET-Particulate and Multiphase Processes, $276,237, 2019-2022, award number: 1911434.

  • “RUI: Thermal Transport across Liquid-gas Interfaces”, sole PI: Zhi Liang, NSF/CBET-Thermal Transport Processes, $276,237, 2019-2022, award number: 1911433.

  • “Merging Dynamics of Gas-filled Nanobubbles via Molecular Simulations and Theory”, PI: Zhi Liang, the eXtreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), 25,758 Service Units (Value of $6,687), 2019-2020, award number: CTS130030.

  • “Design of solid-gas interfaces for enhanced thermal transfer”, PI: Zhi Liang, the eXtreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), 3,300,000 Service Units (Value of $114,000), 2012-2019, award number: CTS130010 (for startup) and CTS130030 (for research).

Awards:

  • Provost’s Award for Promising New Faculty (California State University, Fresno, 2020)

  • Hewlett-Packard Best Paper Award (ASME IMECE 2008)

  • Best poster award (Intelligent Systems Center, University of Missouri Rolla, 2007)

  • ASME
  • MRS

Journal Papers

  1. Eric Bird, Jesus Gutierrez Plascencia, and Zhi Liang, “Thermal transport across the interface between liquid n-dodecane and its own vapor: A molecular dynamics study” Journal of Chemical Physics, 152, 184701 (2020).
  2. Zhi Liang, Anirban Chandra, Eric Bird, and Pawel Keblinski, “A molecular dynamics study of transient evaporation and condensation” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 149, 119152 (2020).
  3. Eric Bird and Zhi Liang, “Transport phenomena in the Knudsen layer near an evaporating surface” Physical Review E 100, 043108 (2019).
  4. James Gonzalez, Josue Ortega, Zhi Liang, “Prediction of thermal conductance at liquid-gas interfaces using molecular dynamics simulations” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 126, 1183 (2018).
  5. Zhi Liang and Ming Hu, “Tutorial: Determination of thermal boundary resistance by molecular dynamics simulations” Journal of Applied Physics 123, 191101 (2018).
  6. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Molecular simulation of steady-state evaporation and condensation in the presence of a non-condensable gas” Journal of Chemical Physics 148, 064708 (2018).
  7. Zhi Liang, Thierry Biben and Pawel Keblinski, “Molecular simulation of steady-state evaporation and condensation: validity of the Schrage relationships” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 114, 105 (2017).
  8. Zhi Liang, Thomas E. Wilsonand Pawel Keblinski, “Phonon interference in crystalline and amorphous confined nanoscopic films” Journal of Applied Physics 121, 075303 (2017).
  9. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Sound attenuation in amorphous silica at frequencies near the Boson peak” Physical Review B 93, 054205 (2016).
  10. Raunak Bardia, Zhi Liang, Pawel Keblinski, and Mario F. Trujillo, “Continuum and molecular dynamics simulation of nano-droplets collision” Physical Review E 93, 053104 (2016).
  11. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Coalescence-induced jumping of nanoscale droplets on super-hydrophobic surfaces” Applied Physics Letters 107, 143105 (2015).
  12. Zhi Liang, Ankit Jain, Alan McGaughey, and Pawel Keblinski, “Molecular simulations and lattice dynamics determination of Stillinger-Weber GaN thermal conductivity” Journal of Applied Physics 118, 125104 (2015).
  13. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Slip length crossover on a graphene surface” Journal of Chemical Physics 142, 134701 (2015).
  14. Zhi Liang, Kiran Sasikumar and Pawel Keblinski, “Thermal transport across substrate-thin film interface: effect of film thickness and surface roughness” Physical Review Letters 113, 065901 (2014).
  15. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Finite size effects on molecular dynamics interfacial thermal-resistance predictions” Physical Review B 90, 075411 (2014).
  16. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Parametric studies of the thermal and momentum accommodation of monoatomic and diatomic gases on solid surfaces” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 78, 161 (2014).
  17. Zhi Liang, William Evans and Pawel Keblinski, “Thermal resistance at an interface between a crystal and its melt” Journal of Chemical Physics 141, 014706 (2014).
  18. Zhi Liang, Kiran Sasikumar and Pawel Keblinski, “Liquid phase stability under an extreme temperature gradient” Physical Review Letters 111, 225701 (2013).
  19. Zhi Liang, William Evans, Tapan Desai and Pawel Keblinski, “Improvement of heat transfer efficiency at solid-gas interfaces by self-assembled monolayers” Applied Physics Letters 102, 061907 (2013).
  20. Zhi Liang, William Evans, and Pawel Keblinski, “Equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of thermal conductance at solid-gas interfaces” Physical Review E 87, 022119 (2013).
  21. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “A method to generate pressure gradients for molecular simulation of pressure-driven flows in nanochannels” Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 13, 289 (2012).
  22. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Reduction of Solid-Solid Thermal Boundary Resistance by Inserting an Interlayer,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 55, 2999 (2012).
  23. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Effect of Thin Film Confined between Two Dissimilar Solids on Interfacial Thermal Resistance,” Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 23, 495303 (2011).
  24. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Thermal Conductivity of Interfacial Layers in Nanofluids,” Physical Review E 83, 041602 (2011).
  25. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Effect of Molecular Film Thickness on Thermal Conduction across Solid–Film Interfaces,” Physical Review E 83, 061603 (2011).
  26. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "Prediction of the Transport Properties of a Polyatomic Gas," Fluid Phase Equilibria 293, 196 (2010).
  27. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "Calculation of Thermophysical Properties of CO2 Gas Using an Ab Initio Potential Model," Molecular Physics 108, 1285 (2010).
  28. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "The Vibrational Contribution to the Thermal Conductivity of a Polyatomic Fluid," Molecular Physics 108, 1707 (2010).
  29. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Self-diffusion Coefficient and Thermal Conductivity of Methane at Low and Moderate Densities," Fluid Phase Equilibria 297, 40 (2010).
  30. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "Determination of Vibrational Energy Levels and Transition Dipole Moments of CO2 Molecules by Density Functional Theory," Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy 252, 108 (2008).
  31. Jihui Nie, Anirban Chandra, Zhi Liang, and P. Keblinski, “Mass accommodation at a high-velocity water liquid-vapor interface” Journal of Chemical Physics 150, 154705 (2019).
  32. Jihui Nie, Raghavan Ranganathan, Zhi Liang, and Pawel Keblinski, “Structural vs. compositional disorder in thermal conductivity reduction of SiGe alloys” Journal of Applied Physics 122, 045104 (2017).
  33. Kiran Sasikumar, Zhi Liang, David G. Cahill and Pawel Keblinski, “Curvature induced phase stability of an intensely heated Lennard-Jones liquid – a molecular dynamics approach” Journal of Chemical Physics 140, 234506 (2014).
  34. Cheng-Hsiang Lin, Zhi Liang, Jun Zhou and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Radical species generation and their lifetime extension by a femtosecond and nanosecond dual-laser system,” Applied Physics A 116, 119 (2014).
  35. Cheng-Hsiang Lin, Zhi Liang, Jun Zhou and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Femtosecond and nanosecond dual–laser optical emission spectroscopy of gas mixtures,” Applied Spectroscopy 68, 222 (2014).
  36. Yukun Han, Zhi Liang, Huilai Sun, Hai Xiao and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Nanostructured Substrate with Nanoparticles Fabricated by Femtosecond Laser for Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering,” Applied Physics A102, 415 (2011).

Conference papers/presentations

  1. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Molecular simulation of steady-state evaporation and condensation: validity of the Schrage relationships”, 2017 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE), November 2017, Tampa, FL.
  2. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Sound attenuation in amorphous silica at frequencies near the Boson peak”, Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit, April 2017, Phoenix, AZ.
  3. Zhi Liang and Pawel Keblinski, “Coalescence-induced jumping of nanoscale droplets on super-hydrophobic surfaces”, American Physical Society March Meeting, March 2016, Baltimore.
  4. Zhi Liang, Kiran Sasikumar, and Pawel Keblinski, “Thickness Dependence of Kapitza Resistance at a Substrate-Thin Film Interface: Effect of Phonon Scattering at the Thin Film Surface”, Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit, April 2015, San Francisco.
  5. Zhi Liang, and Pawel Keblinski, “Molecular dynamics simulations of coalescence of liquid droplets on hydrophobic surfaces”, Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit, April 2015, San Francisco.
  6. Zhi Liang, William Evans and Pawel Keblinski, “Improvement of Heat Transfer Efficiency at Solid-gas Interfaces by Self-assembled Monolayers”, Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit, April 2013, San Francisco.
  7. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “Effect of Interlayer between Semiconductors on Interfacial Thermal Transport.” ASME 2012 3rd Micro/Nanoscale Heat and Mass Transfer International Conference, March 2012: MNHMT2012-75273, Atlanta.
  8. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "Ab Initio Calculations of Infrared Absorption Cross Sections of CO2 Gas." 2008 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November 2008: IMECE2008-67776, Boston.
  9. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, "Ab Initio Calculations of Vibrational Energy Levels and Transition Dipole Moments of CO2 molecules." 2008 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November 2008: IMECE2008-677765, Boston. (HP best paper award)
  10. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, “A Study of Laser-Gas Interactions by Ab Initio Method,” Intelligent Systems Center Research Symposium, Rolla, Missouri University of Science and Technology, April 2008.
  11. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai, Poster titled “Thin Film Coating at Room Temperature and in Open Atmosphere by Using Multiple Lasers” at the third annual Intelligent Systems Center poster presentation, November 2007, University of Missouri Rolla.
  12. Zhi Liang and Hai-Lung Tsai “Thin Film Coating at Room Temperature and in Open Atmosphere by Using Multiple Lasers,” at the Intelligent Systems Center Research Symposium, April 2007, University of Missouri Rolla.

  • Micro/nanoscale thermodynamics and heat transfer
  • Nanofluidic energy conversion and storage devices
  • Structure-property relationship for interfaces
  • Computational modeling

3:30 am -5:30 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays

liang image

Fall 2016 Office Hours
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00am-12:00pm