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Associate Professor James K Beattie


Contact Details

Associate Professor
Room 454
School of Chemistry, Building F11
The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006 Australia
E: james.beattie@sydney.edu.au
T: +61 (2) 9351-3797 / Laboratory: +61 (2) 9351 4425
F: +61 (2) 9351-3329


Career Highlights

  • AB Princeton, 1961
  • MA Cambridge, 1963
  • PhD Northwestern (Basolo), 1966
  • University of Illinois, 1966-72
  • University of Sydney, 1972-

Areas of Interest

  • Emulsions
  • Transition metal oxidation-reduction reactions
  • Homogeneous catalysis
  • Electroacoustics of colloids
  • Colloid chemistry of metal oxides

Research

Electroacoustics - The new technique of electroacoustics invented here is being exploited to study concentrated colloidal suspensions of oxides, dairy colloids, emulsions, etc. This technology enables measurements of the size and charge on colloidal particles that have never been possible before, which leads to new observations and new control over colloidal processes, including those with environmental relevance.

Homogeneous catalysis - In collaboration with A/Prof Masters, work is focussed on metal carboxylate complexes which act as homogeneous catalysts. Unique complexes of cobalt, palladium and copper have been isolated and their properties examined by a wide variety of physical, spectroscopic and chemical techniques, in order to understand their role in catalytic oxidation-reduction chemistry.

Publications (2008 to 2012)

  1. Beattie, JK and Gray-Weale, A. Oil/water interface charged by hydroxide ions and deprotonated fatty acids: A comment. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 51 (52), 12941-12942, 2012. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201205927

  2. Liu, M; Beattie, JK and Gray-Weale, A. The surface relaxation of water. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 116 (30), 8981-8988, 2012. DOI: 10.1021/jp211810v

  3. Butler, IS and Beattie, JK. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of the bariandite oxide layer on a vandaium dioxide crystal.  Australian Journal of Chemistry, 64 (12), 1621-1623, 2011. DOI: 10.1071/CH11180


  4. Beattie, JK; Creux, P and Gray-Weale, A.  Sodium fluoride at the air/water interface. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 64 (12), 1580-1582, 2011. DOI: 10.1071/CH11285

  5. Phippen, CBW; Beattie, JK and McErlean, CSP. "On-water" conjugate additions of anilines. Chemical Communications, 46 (43), 8234-8236, 2010. DOI: 10.1039/c0cc02502j

  6. Gray-Weale, A and Beattie, JK. Reply to the 'Comment on "An explanation for the charge on water's surface"' by R. Vacha, D. Horinek, R. Buchner, B. Winter and P. Jungwirth, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys, 2010, 12, DOI: 10.1039/c001492c.] Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 12 (42), 14364-14366, 2010. DOI: 10.1039/c0cp00688b

  7. Beattie, JK; McErlean, CSP and Phippen, CBW. The mechanism of on-water catalysis. Chemistry: A European Journal, 16 (30), 8972-8974, 2010. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201001705

  8. Gray-Weale, A and Beattie, JK. An explanation for the charge on water’s surface. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 11 (46), 10994-11005, 2009. DOI: 10.1039/b901806a

  9. Creux, P; Lachaise, J; Graciaa, A; Beattie, JK and Djerdjev, AM. Strong specific hydroxide ion binding at the pristine oil/water and air/water interfaces. J. Phys. Chem. B, 113 (43), 14146-14150, 2009. DOI: 10.1021/jp906978v

  10. Beattie: JK. Comment on: “Behaviour of hydroxide at the water/vapor interface. [Chem.Phys. Lett. 474 (2009) 241]”. Chemical Physics Letters, 481 (1-3), 17-18, 2009. DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2009.09.009

  11. Beattie, JK and Djerdjev, AM and Warr, GG. The surface of neat water is basic. Faraday Discussions, 141 (1), 31-39, 2009. DOI: 10.1039/b805266b