Rehnberg Professor of Chemical Engineering
Contact Information
| 265 Benson Box 351750 Seattle, WA 98195-1750 |
Phone: 206-543-2029 Fax: 206-543-3778 E-mail: spc@uw.edu |
Education
B.S., Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1960.
Ph.D., University of California (Berkeley), 1964.
For more information, please see the Berg Group Home Page
Research Interests
- Colloidal and nano-colloidal materials
- Adhesion phenomena, in particular in composite materials
- Gels in multi-phase media
Interfacial Phenomena; Surface and Colloid Science
The behavior of many systems, including thin films, fibers, filaments, jets, drops, bubbles, foams, dispersions, and porous media, may be dominated by the properties of their interfaces. We are examining a variety of problems involving interfacial properties and their consequences. For example, we are investigating the interaction between liquids and solid surfaces as they are influenced by acid-base interactions and are applying such understanding to the improvement of contact adhesion, mechanical properties of new composite materials and the performance of absorbent products. We are examining strategies for conversion from solvent-based to water-based coating formulations, requiring new understanding of the mechanisms of electro-steric stabilization in complex colloidal media. Both the kinetics and morphology of floc formation are being studied. We are also investigating improved methods for recycling of mixed paper wastes, including both flotation de-inking and liquid-bridge agglomeration. We are examining the dynamic properties of multicomponent liquids and their interaction with print media in a study of ink-jet printing. The underlying science of interfaces and colloids is leading to the creation of new materials, new strategies for environmental control, and new technologies for industrial production. Background material in interfacial and colloid science is made available in a variety of course offerings in the Department.
Selected Publications
Irvine, J. A.; Aston, D. E.; and Berg, J. C.; "The Use of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to Measure the Adhesive Properties of Sized and Unsized Papers, " Tappi Journal, 82 [5], 172 (1999).
Aston, D.E., and Berg, J.C., "Long-Range Attraction between Silanated Silica Materials Studied by and Electrolyte Titration with AFM," Colloids and Surfaces, 163, 247 (2000).
Page, S.; Mazzenga, R.; Boogh, L.; Berg, J.C.; and Menson, J.-A.E.; "Time-Evolution of Epoxy Resin Surface Energetics during Processing," Journal of Colloid and Interface Science , 222, 55 (2000).
Kim, A.Y., and Berg, J.C., "Fractal Aggregation: Scaling of Fractal Dimension with Stability Ratio," Langmuir , 16, 2101 (2000).
Miller, A.C.; Knowlton, M.T.; and Berg, J.C.; "The Use of UNIFAC for the Estimation of Adhesion Enhancement between Polymers and Mineral Surfaces Treated with Silane Coupling Agents," J. Adhesion Sci. Tech., 14, 1471-1484 (2000).
Kim, A. Y., and Berg, J. C., "Fractal Heteroaggregation of Oppositely Charged Colloids," J. Colloid Interface Sci., 229, 607 (2000).
