Jan C.T. Kwak 

Emeritus Professor

BSc, MSc, PhD (Amsterdam)

E-mail: jan.kwak@dal.ca 
Phone: (902) 494-3425
Fax: (902) 494-1310 

Address:  Department of Chemistry
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS
Canada    B3H 4J3

Research Interests: Physical, Colloid and Polymer Chemistry. 

Dr. Kwak's research program in colloid science focuses on aggregation phenomena in aqueous surfactant and polymer systems, including micelle formation, mixed micelles, polymer-surfactant binding phenomena, phase separation and gel formation in concentrate d polymer- surfactant systems, solubilization, and adsorption at the solid-liquid interface. Properties of surfactant and polymer-surfactant systems are sensitive to a wide variety of structural effects, and complex and subtle combinations of ionic, polar, and hydrophobic interactions. Studies are directed towards a better understanding and detailed description of the aggregates formed in a variety of systems, both in dilute single-phase systems and in concentrated phases where complex phase equilibria may exist. Major techniques used in our group include a variety of nmr experiments, static and time-resolved fluorescence, rheology, conductance, surfactant selective electrodes, HPLC, MS, and other analytical methods. Synthesis and characterization of new water-soluble polymers and gels and investigation of their interactions with surfactants is the focus of several projects. One project is concerned with the synthesis of water-soluble polymers containing photoactive sidegroups, which may lead to novel swi tchable gel materials. Other current research focuses on the determination of surfactant structure by LC-MS and on surfactant interactions in the environment. Colloid science has numerous applications in industry, medicine, and environmental science, and usually group members will be exposed to such projects during their graduate studies. Recent applied projects have been involved with enhanced oil recovery, tar sands processing, peat dewatering, wetting phenomena and super absorbers, and ceramics processing.