Radical induced cracking of naphtha model compound: Using bibenzyl as a novel radical initiator

•The cracking of n-hexane was promoted after adding bibenzyl.•Gas products consisting of C1-C4 alkanes and α olefins showed obviously increase.•Bibenzyl induced the cracking of n-hexane due to easy generated benzyl radicals.•Benzyl radicals initiated pyrolysis of n-hexane by abstracting H atoms on n-hexane.•The induction effect increases with temperature and the decrease of bibenzyl.