Barry Ninham

Emeritus Professor Barry Ninham is affiliated with The Australian National University's Department of PHY. His research interests include Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, Colloid and Surface Chemistry, molecular forces, self assembly of surfactants and biological molecules, statistical mechanics of soft condensed matter, liquids at interfaces, solution chemistry, electrolytes, polyelectrolytes, new materials via templating and mechanochemistry, immunology, hydrophobic interactions, porous, disordered and random media, number theory in physics, and asymptotic analysis. He has contributed significantly to the fields of colloid and surface science, and has mentored numerous students who have become professors and fellows in various scientific disciplines.

Barry Ninham is an Emeritus Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Australian National University. His research focuses on the theoretical and experimental investigation of self-assembly processes in amphiphilic systems, including micelles, bilayers, and vesicles. He has extensively studied dispersion forces, Hofmeister effects, and ion-specific interactions in biological and colloidal systems. His work explores the role of curvature, hydration, and electrostatic potentials in determining the behavior of interfaces and colloidal particles. Ninham's research also addresses the limitations of classical DLVO theory in explaining biological and colloid phenomena, emphasizing the importance of nonelectrostatic potentials and ion size effects.