Jump to Content

Dr David Beattie

David BeattieContact Details
Tel: +61 8 8302 3676
Fax: +61 8 8302 3683
Email: david.beattie@unisa.edu.au

Position
Senior Research Fellow

Qualifications
BSc(Hons) PhD Edinburgh UK

Background
David was educated in his home country of Scotland, obtaining his BSc (Hons) degree in Chemical Physics and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh. After completing his studies, he undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford, during which time he was awarded a British Ramsay Research Fellowship and spent two years as a tutor at Wadham College. He took up the position of Research Fellow at the Ian Wark Research Institute (The Wark), in November 2000. He was promoted to the level of Senior Research Fellow in January 2007.

David’s main research interest is the adsorption and structure of molecules at surfaces, and the relation of adsorption parameters to macroscopic properties. His research spans a range of areas including mineral processing, soil contamination, and nano- and biolubrication phenomena. Throughout his research, he emphasizes the importance of in situ analysis of adsorption, studying adsorbed molecules under ambient conditions (i.e. wet systems). Doing so is critical if one is to gain insight into the adsorption process, and the alteration of surface properties caused by the adsorption.

David has published 31 articles in leading chemical and engineering journals, along with one book chapter and 12 conference proceedings contributions. His research over the last 8 years has been the recipient of more than $3 million in funding from the Australian Government, and Australian and international industry. He has been recognized for his research leadership by UniSA, through his selection to participate in the inaugural UniSA Research Leadership Program. The program is the first of its type in Australia, designed to develop mid-career researchers into the next generation of research leaders.

David is also the South Australian representative on the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Colloid and Interface Science Division Committee. He plays an active role in the Division and the Australian colloid science community, with organizing roles in the Division’s two major conference series (the Australian Colloid and Interface Symposia, and the Australian Colloid and Surface Science Student Conference series).

Current Projects
Polymers at Minerals Interfaces – ARC Linkage Project (Lead CI)
AMSRI (Australian Mineral Science Research Institute) – ARC Linkage Project

Recent Journal Publications
1. ‘In Situ Particle Film ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy of CMC Adsorption on Talc: Binding Mechanism, pH Effects, and Adsorption Kinetics’, L. T. Cuba-Chiem, L. Huynh, J. Ralston, D. A. Beattie, accepted for publication in Langmuir.
2. ‘Adsorption of Modified Dextrins on Talc: Effect of Surface Coverage and Hydration Water on Hydrophobicity Reduction’, A. Mierczynska-Vasilev, J. Ralston, D.A. Beattie, accepted for publication in Langmuir.
3. ‘In Situ Particle Film ATR-FTIR Studies of CMC Adsorption on Talc: The Effect of Ionic Strength and Multivalent Metal Ions’, L. T. Cuba-Chiem, L. Huynh, J. Ralston, D. A. Beattie, in press, Minerals Engineering.
4. ‘Copper and arsenate co-sorption at the mineral-water interfaces of goethite and jarosite’, M. Gräfe, D.A. Beattie, E. Smith3, W.M. Skinner, B. Singh, in press, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science.
5. ‘The Effect of Bulk Iron content on the Copper Activation of Sphalerite’, S.L. Harmer, A. Mierczynska-Vasilev, D.A. Beattie, J.G. Shapter, in press, Minerals Engineering.
6. ‘Light-Induced Aggregation of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles Capped by Thymine Derivatives’, J. Zhou, R. Sedev, D. Beattie, J. Ralston, Langmuir, 24, 2008, 4506-4511.
7. ‘Colloid Stability of Thymine Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles’, J. Zhou, D. A. Beattie, J. Ralston, R. Sedev, Langmuir 23, 2007, 12096-12103.
8. ‘Synthesis and Surface Structure of Thymine-Functionalised, Self-Assembled Monolayer Protected Gold Nanoparticles’, J. Zhou, D. A. Beattie, R. Sedev, J. Ralston, Langmuir, 23, 2007, 9170-9177.
9. ‘The Effect of Modified Dextrins on the Depression of Talc and their Selectivity in Sulphide Mineral Flotation: Adsorption Isotherms, AFM Imaging, and Flotation Studies’ D.A. Beattie, L. Huynh, A. Mierczynska-Vasilev, M. Myllynen, and J. Flatt, Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 46(3), 349-358, 2007. Special issue to honour Professor Janusz Laskowski.
10. ‘Raman Scattering from Confined Liquid Films in the Sub-nanometre Regime’, D.A. Beattie, S.A. Winget, C.D. Bain., Tribology Letters, 27, 2007, 159-167.
11. ‘Direct Attachment of Well-Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Architectures to Silicon (100) Surfaces: A Simple Approach for Device Assembly’, J. Yu, J.G. Shapter, J.S. Quinton, M.R. Johnston, D.A. Beattie. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 9(4), 2007, 510-520.
12. ‘In situ Total Internal Reflection Raman Spectroscopy of Surfactant Adsorption at a Mineral Surface’, D.A. Beattie, M. Lidström Larsson, A.R. Holmgren, Vibrational Spectroscopy, 41, 2006, 198-204.
13. ‘Sum-Frequency Spectroscopy of a Monolayer of Zinc Arachidate at the Solid-Solid Interface’, D.A. Beattie, R. Fraenkel, S.A. Winget, A. Petersen, C.D. Bain, Journal of Physical Chemistry B., 110, 2006, 2278-2292.
14. ‘Depression Mechanisms of Sodium Bisulphite in the Xanthate-induced Flotation of Copper Activated Sphalerite’, T.N. Khmeleva, J.K. Chapelet, W. Skinner and D.A. Beattie, International Journal of Mineral Processing, 79, 2006, 61-75.
15. ‘Influence of Adsorbed Polysaccharides and Polyacrylamides on Talc Flotation’, D.A. Beattie, L. Huynh, G.B.N. Kaggwa, and J. Ralston, International Journal of Mineral Processing, 78, 2006, 238-249.
16. ‘An In Situ ATR-FTIR Study of Polyacrylamide Adsorption at the Talc Surface’, L.T. Chiem, L. Huynh, J. Ralston, and D.A. Beattie, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 297, 2006, 54-61.
17. ‘The Effect of Polysaccharides and Polyacrylamides on the Depression of Talc and the Flotation of Sulphide Minerals’ D.A. Beattie, L. Huynh, G.B.N. Kaggwa, and J. Ralston. Minerals Engineering, 19, 2006 598-608.
18. ‘Effect of Polyphosphate and Naphthalene Sulfonate Formaldehyde Condensate on the Rheological Properties of Dewatered Tailings and Cemented Paste Backfill’, L. Huynh, D.A. Beattie, D. Fornasiero, and J. Ralston, Minerals Engineering, 19, 2006, 28-36.
19. ‘XPS and ToF-SIMS Study of a Chalcopyrite-Pyrite-Sphalerite Mixture Treated with Xanthate and Sodium Bisulphite’, T.N. Khmeleva, T.V. Georgiev, M. Jasieniak, W.M. Skinner and D.A. Beattie, Surface and Interface Analysis, 37, 2005, 699–709.
‘Depressing Mechanisms of Sodium Bisulphite in the Collectorless Flotation of Copper-activated Sphalerite’, T.N. Khmeleva, W. Skinner and D.A. Beattie, International Journal of Mineral Processing, 76, 2005, 43–53.

top^