Yu Yang

Yu Yang is a lecturer and master’s supervisor in the School of Automotive Engineering at Wuhan University of Technology and Co-PI of the Combustion and Laser Sensing Laboratory. His research focuses on reaction mechanisms and chemical kinetics in low-carbon fuel combustion and pyrolysis, thermochemical hydrogen production, and metal-surface degradation.

He has led and participated in projects including China’s government-sponsored overseas study program and research projects supported by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). He has published 13 SCI-indexed papers in these areas.

• Ph.D., Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University
• Master’s degree, Chemical Process Machinery, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Zhengzhou University
• Bachelor’s degree, Process Equipment and Control Engineering, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Zhengzhou University

[1] Y. Yang*, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Exploring reaction mechanism and kinetics of acetone pyrolysis and combustion in O2/H2O/CO2 environments via ReaxFF MD simulations. Energy 2025;335:137999. link

[2] Y. Yang*, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Reaction mechanisms and hydrogen production in the thermal decomposition of simple carboxylic acids in O2/H2O environments. Renewable Energy 2025;240:122186. link

[3] Y. Yang*, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Atomic-scale insights into soot formation and gasification during pyrolysis and combustion of furan and benzofuran. Fuel 2025;385:134138. link

[4] Y. Yang*, Z. Zou, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Microscopic pyrolysis mechanism and kinetics of five C5H10O2 isomeric ester biodiesel surrogates. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2026;261:156790. link

[5] Y. Yang*, Z. Zou, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Pyrolysis mechanism and soot formation of six-membered cyclic ether fuels: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics study. Journal of the Energy Institute 2026;129:102687. link

[6] Y. Yang*, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Clarification of oxidation mechanism of methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coal combustion via ReaxFF molecular dynamics. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry 2025;1251:115339. link

[7] Y. Yang, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Reaction mechanism and light gas conversion in pyrolysis and oxidation of dimethyl ether (DME): A ReaxFF molecular dynamics study. Energy 2024;295:131013. link

[8] Y. Yang, R. Kai, H. Watanabe*. Atomistic insights into formaldehyde (HCHO) high-temperature treatment and syngas production via ReaxFF MD simulations. Energy 2024;313:133725. link

[9] Y. Yang, Y. Yu*, S. Tang. Microscopic oxidation reaction mechanism of methanol in H2O/CO2 impurities: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics study. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2023;48:26058–71. link

[10] Y. Yang, J. Zhou, Y. Yu*. Understanding the oxidation mechanism of Fe (1 0 0) in supercritical CO2: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation. Journal of CO2 Utilization 2022;63:102119. link

[11] J. Zhou, Y. Yang, Y. Yu*. ReaxFF molecular dynamics investigation on the oxidation mechanism of Fe surface in supercritical CO2 mixed with O2. Journal of CO2 Utilization 2022;65:102224. link

[12] J. Zhou, Y. Yang, Y. Yu*. Corrosion protection of Fe (1 0 0) in supercritical CO2 achieved by applied electric field: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics study. Computational Materials Science 2022;212:111577. link

[13] J. Zhou, Y. Yang, Y. Yu*. Revealing mechanical property–strengthening micro-mechanism of Ni/Ni3Al-based alloys by molecular dynamics simulation. Journal of Molecular Modeling 2022;28:371. link

Reviewer for Journal of Hazardous Materials, Renewable Energy, Fuel, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Journal of the Energy Institute, Thermochimica Acta, and other journals.

• Dean’s Award, Kyushu University
• Outstanding Graduate, Zhengzhou University