Staff profile

Dr Narelle Brack

Senior Lecturer

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Department of Physics
Centre for Materials and Surface Science

Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

PhD

Membership of professional Associations

AIP, Standards Australia CH/16/5 Committee on Surface Analysis, The Australian Synchrotron Program Advisory Committee (Soft X-ray)

Area of study

Physics

Brief Profile

Dr Brack has over 15 years postgraduate and professional experience in materials and surface science. She has published 3 refereed book chapters and 55 refereed international journal articles and have won significant research and infrastructure funding. She has extensive expertise in the development of surface modification processes and surface characterisation using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS).

She has made significant and innovative contributions in research fields such as:

(a)        micro-patterning of fluoropolymer surfaces – This project focussed on the development of novel surface chemistries for micro-contact printing and innovative surface analytical techniques for their characterisation.

(b)        immobilisation and hybridisation of oligonucleotides onto polymeric and semiconductor surfaces– This project investigated novel immobilisation strategies and label free hybridisation of oligonucleotides onto  modified surfaces using a combination of TOF-SIMS coupled with principal components analysis.

(c)        growth and manipulation of carbon nanotubes for advanced composite materials: This project examined methods to modify the mechanical and electrical properties of advanced composite materials using carbon nanotubes.

In addition, she has contributed to a wide range of projects including, for example, protein interaction with resins, bacteria surface chemistry for waste water, mining and biodiagnostic applications, surface passivation of semiconductors, tailored polymer surface resistivity, the development of evacuated glazing technology, corrosion protection and passivation of metals, and the role of lubricants in metal forming.

Research interests

Surface and materials chemistry

- Chemical and surface modifications for advanced materials

Consulting

Surface analytical consultant to Australian industry and research oraganisations since 1999.

Recent Publications

 Refereed Book Chapters

3. P.R. Stoddart and N. Brack, “Physical techniques for cell surface probing and manipulation” In: Ed. E. P. Ivanova, “Nanoscale structure and properties of microbial cell surfaces” Nova Science Publishers, New York USA, (2007), ISBN: 1-60021-242-5, pp1-58(Ch1)

  Refereed International Journal Articles 

28. L. So, N. Ng, M. Bilek, R. Collins, P. Pigram and N. Brack, “ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of the surface chemistry of soda-lime glass in vacuum”, Surface and Interface Analysis 38 (2006), 648-651.  

29 P. Kappen, P.S. Hale, N. Brack, J. Liesegang, W. Prissanaroon, and P.J. Pigram,  X-PEEM and NEXAFS of polypyrrole and copper micropatterns on insulating fluoropolymer substrates” Applied Surface Science 253 (2006) 1473-1479.  

30. P. Hale, N. Brack, W. Prissanaroon, P. Kappen, P. J. Pigram, J. Liesegang, “Micropatterning of fluoropolymers”, Applied Surface Science 252 (6) (2006) 2217-2228  

31. E.P. Ivanova, D. K. Pham, J. P. Wright, N. Brack, P. Pigram, Y.V. Alekseeva, G. M. Demyasheva and D. V. Nicolau, “A comparative study between the adsorption and covalent binding of human immunoglobulin and lysozyme on surface-modified poly (tert-butyl methacrylate), Biomedical materials 1 (2006) 24-32.  

32. P. Howlett, M. Forsyth, T. Hollenkamp, D. MacFarlane and N. Brack, “ Characterisation of the lithium surface in N-methyl-N-alkylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide room temperature ionic liquid electrolytes”, Journal of the Electrochemical Society 153 (2006) A595.  

33. G. Domazetis, M. Raoarun, B.D. James, J. Liesegang, N. Brack and R. Glaisher, “Analytical and characterization studies of organic and inorganic species in brown coal”, Energy and Fuels 20 (2006) 1556-1564.  

34. D. Ho, N. Brack, J. Scully, T. Markley, M. Forsyth and B. Hinton, “Cerium dibutylphosphate as a corrosion inhibitor for AA2024-T3 aluminium alloys”, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 153(9) (2006) B392-401.  

35. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram and J. Liesegang, "Co-doped Polypyrrole Coatings for Stainless Steel Protection” Surface Review and Letters, 13 (2), 1-9 (2006).  

36. S. Achiwawanich.,  N. Brack,B.D.James, and J.L. Liesegang, “Surface analysis of heat- treated Mong Hsu rubies”, Applied Surface Science 252(24),(2006) 8646-8650  

37. V. Stambouli, A. Zebda, E. Appert, C. Guiducci, , M. Labeau, , J.P. Diard, , B. Le Gorrec, , N. Brack, , and P.J. Pigram, “ Semiconductor oxide based electrodes for the label-free electrical detection of DNA hybridization: comparison between Sb doped SnO2 and CdIn2O”, Electrochimica Acta 51(24) (2006) 5206-5214.    

38. P.S. Hale , P. Kappen , W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack , P.J. Pigram and J.L. Liesegang, “Minimizing silicone transfer during micro-contact printing”, Applied Surface Science 253 (8), (2007)3746-3750  

39 K.P. Purushotham, L.P. Ward, N. Brack, P. J Pigram, P. Evans, H. Noorman and R.R. Manory, “Corrosion behavior of Zr modified CrN coatings using metal vapor vacuum arc ion implantation”, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A 25(1) (2007) 110-116.  

40 P. Hale, S. Turgeon, P. Horny, F. Lewis, N. Brack, G. van Riessen, P.J. Pigram and D. Mantovani, "X-PEEM and TOFSIMS analysis of ultra-thin fluoropolymer coatings for stent applications" , Langmuir 24 (2008) 7897-7905.  

41 K.P. Purushotham, L.P. Ward, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, P. Evans, H. Noorman and R.R. Manory, “The effect of MEVVA ion implantation of Zr on the corrosion behaviour of PVD TiN coatings”, Corrosion Science 50 (2008), 8-14.  

42 D. Lau, P. Kappen, M. Strohschnieder, N. Brack and P. Pigram, “Characterisation of green copper phase pigments in Egyptian artifacts with X-ray absorption spectroscopy and principal components analysis”, Spectrochimica Acta Part B- Atomic Spectroscopy 63(11) (2008), 1283-1289.                

43 P. Kappen, B. Halstead, N. Brack, P. Pigram and A. Rider, “Multi-walled carbon nanotubes grown from chemical vapour – links between atomic near range order and growth parameters", Journal of Physical Chemistry C 113(11), (2009), 4307-4314.  

44 A.N. Rider, E. Yeo, N. Brack, B. Halstead and P.J. Pigram, “Characterisation of carbon nanotube modified polymer-ceramic composites”, Journal of the Australian Ceramic Society 45(2) (2009) 8-19  

45 M. Naebe, P.G. Cookson, J. Rippon, R.P. Brady, X. Wang, N. Brack and G. van Riessen, “Effects of plasma treatment of wool on the uptake of sulfonated dyes with different hydrophobic properties”, Textile Research Journal 80(4) (2010) 312-324.  

46 D. Piper, G. Barbante, N. Brack, P. Pigram, and C. Hogan, “Highly stable ECL active films formed by electrografting of a diazotized ruthenium complex generated in situ from the amine”, Langmuir, 27(1), (2011), 474-480.

 Refereed Conference Publications     

6. B. W. Halstead, N. Brack, A.N. Rider, E. Yeo and P.J. Pigram, “Scaled-up production of multiwalled carbon nanotubes using catalytic chemical vapour deposition”, International Conference on Nanotechnology and Nanoscience ICONN Conference Brisbane 3-7 July 2006.  

7. A.N. Rider, C.H. Wang, P. Chang and N. Brack, “Surface treatment and application processes for epoxy bonding to bismaleimide composites”, 39th International SAMPE Technical Conference, SAMPE Fall Technical Conference, From Art to Science, Advancing Materials and Process Engineering, 29 Oct- 1 Nov 2007, Cincinnati, OH, United States, (2007) 1-18

 8. B. Halstead, N. Brack, A.N. Rider, and P.J. Pigram, “Use of pre-defined architectures for incorporation of aligned carbon nanotubes into epoxy resin”, 2008 International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Proceedings”,  52-55, 2008.  

9. A. N. Rider, E. Yeo, N. Brack, B. Halstead and P.J. Pigram, “Modification of quartz fabric with multi-walled carbon nanotubes for multifunctional polymer composites”, MS&T08, Ceramic Transactions Proceedings(eds. T. Hinklin and K. Lu), American Ceramic Society, Pittsburgh, USA, Processing of nano-particle structures and composites, Ceramic Transactions 208, 59-70, July 2009.    

Older Publications

Refereed Book Chapters 

1. W. Shen, I.H. parker, N. Brack and P.J. Pigram,“The spreading of alkyl ketene dimmers (AKD) in paper and on smooth hydrophilic substrates”,Ed. K. Mittal, “Contact angle, wettability and adhesion”, Vol 2 (2002) 449-468, VSP, Netherlands, ISBN: 90-6764-370-X

2. P.J. Pigram, N. Brack and P.D. Hodgson,“Surface characterization of materials”,In: Eds H. Liang and G.E. Totten, Surface Modifications and Processing: Physical and Chemical Tribological Mechanisms, p1 – 32, Marcel Dekker, New York, 2004, ISBN:  0-8247-4873-5.

 Refereed International Journal Articles

1. N. Brack, R. Lamb, D. Pham, and P. Turner, " XPS and SIMS investigation of covalently bound lipid on the wool fibre surface", Surface and Interface Analysis 24 (1996) 704-710.

 

2. N. Brack, R. Lamb, D. Pham and P. Turner, “Nonionic surfactants and the wool fibre surface”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physiochemical and Engineering Aspects 146 (1999) 405-415.

 

3. N. Brack, R. Lamb, D. Pham and P. Turner, “Effect of water at elevated temperatures on the wool fibre surface”, Surface and Interface Analysis 27 (1999) 1050-54.

 

4. W. Shen, Y. Filonanko, Y. Truong, I.H. Parker, N. Brack, P. Pigram and J. Liesegang, “Contact angle measurement and surface energetics of sized and unsized paper”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physiochemical and Engineering Aspects 173(1-3) (2000) 117-126.

 

5. W. Shen, V. Hoang, I.H. Parker, N. Brack, P. Pigram and J. Liesegang, “Mechanism of AKD migration studies on glass surfaces”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physiochemical and Engineering Aspects 176(2-3) (2001) 129-137.

 

6. N. Brack, R. Lamb, D. Pham and P. Turner, “Effect of physical processing on the wool fibre surface”, Textile Research Journal 71(10) (2001) 911-915.

 

7. W. Shen, I.H., Parker, N. Brack and P.J. Pigram, “A simplified approach to understanding the mechanism of AKD sizing”, Appita Journal 54(4) (2001) 352-356.

 

8. P.X. Feng, R.C.G. Leckey, J.D. Riley, N. Brack, P. Pigram, M. Hollering and L. Ley "Photoemission studies of ZnSe epilayers grown on GaAs (111)B surface", J. Appl. Phys. 89(1) (2001) 710-717.

 

9. D. Simon, J. Liesegang, P.J. Pigram, N Brack and J.L. Pura, “XPS and surface resistivity measurements of plasma treated LDPE and ageing effects”, Surface and Interface Analysis 32 (2001) 148-153.

 

10. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, J. Liesegang and T.J. Cardwell, “Surface and electrochemical study of DBSA-doped polypyrrole films grown on stainless steel”, Surface and Interface Analysis 33 (2002) 653-662. 

 

11. D.P Riley, D.J. O’Connor, P. Dastoor, N. Brack and P.J. Pigram, “Comparative analysis of Ti3SiC2 and associated compounds using X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy”, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 35(13) (2002) 1603-1611.

 

12. K.S.A. Butcher, Afifuddin, T.L. Tansley, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, H. Timmers, K.E. Prince and R.G. Elliman, “Gallium and oxygen accumulations on gallium nitride surfaces following argon ion milling in ultra-high vacuum conditions”, Applied Surface Science 230 (2004) 18-23.

 

13. K.P. Purushotham, L. P. Ward, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, P. Evans, H. Noorman and R.R. Manory, “Tribological studies of Zr-implanted PVD TiN coatings deposited on stainless steel substrates”, Wear 254(7-8) (2003) 589-596.

 

14. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, and J. Liesegang, “Electropolymerisation of polypyrrole on copper in aqueous media”, Synthetic Metals 142(1-3) (2004) 25-34.

 

15. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, and J. Liesegang, "A surface and electrochemical study of pyrrole coated on stainless steel and copper", Current Applied Physics 4(2-4) (2004) 2113-222.

 

16. E.P. Ivanova, D.P. Pham, N. Brack, P. Pigram, D.V. Nicolau, “Pol(l-lysine)-mediated immobilisation of oligonucleotides on carboxy-rich polymer surfaces”, Biosensors and Bioelectronics 19(11) (2004) 1363-1370.

 

17. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, and J. Liesegang, “Electropolymerisation of DBSA-doped polypyrrole films on PTFE via an electroless copper interlayer”, Surface and Interface Analysis 35(12) (2003) 974-983.

 

18.  S. Mollica, D.K. Sood, P.J. Evans, J.T. Noorman, N. Dytlewski, N. Brack, P. Pigram and    K. Latham, “Effect of aluminium ion implantation on the oxidation resistance of DC magnetron sputter-deposited TiB2 films”, Surface and Coatings Technology 177-78 (2004) 185-197.

 

19. K.P. Purushotham, L. P. Ward, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, P. Evans, H. Noorman and R.R. Manory, “Wear behaviour of CrN coatings MEVVA ion implanted with Zr”, Wear 257(9-10) (2004) 901-908.

 

20. A.N. Rider, N. Brack, S. Andres, and P.J. Pigram, “Characterisation of epoxy and aluminium surfaces relevant to adhesion”, Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology 18(10) (2004) 1123-1152.

 

21. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, P. Hale, P. Kappen and J. Liesegang, “Micro-contact printing of copper and polypyrrole on fluoropolymers”, Thin Solid Films 477 (1-2) (2005) 131-139.

 

22. S. Donev, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, N.J. Paris, N.K. Singh and B.F. Usher, “Surface reactions of 1-propanethiol on GaAs(100)”, Langmuir 21 (2005) 1866-1874.

 

23. P. Kappen, N. Brack, P.S. Hale, W. Prissanaroon, E. Welter, and P.J. Pigram, “Radiation and storage induced ageing of polypyrrole doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid”, Applied Surface Science, 243(1-4) (2005) 287-295.

 

24. W. Prissanaroon, N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, P. Hale, P. Kappen and J. Liesegang, “Fabrication of patterned polypyrrole on fluoropolymers for pH sensing applications”, Synthetic Metals, 154 (2005) 105-108.

 

25. D.B. Menzies, L. Bourgeois, Y. –B. Cheng, G.P. Simon, N. Brack and L. Spiccia, “The characterization of nanostructured core-shell working electrodes for application in dye-sensitized solar cells”, Surface and Coatings Technology, 198 (1-3) (2005) 118-122.

 

26. N. Brack, A.N. Rider, B. Halstead and P.J. Pigram,

“Surface modification of boron fibres for improved strength in composite materials”

J. Adhesion Sci. & Technol. 19 (10) (2005) 857-877.

 

27.D. Menzies, R. Cervini, Q. Dai, M. Lewis, N. Brack, Y. –B. Cheng, G.P. Simon, and L. Spiccia, “ BaTiO3-Coated TiO2 working electrodes for use in dye-sensitised solar cells”, J. Australasian Ceramic Society 41 (2) (2005) 43-47.

 

 Refereed Conference Publications

  

1. S. Sivagurunathan, N. Brack, J.C. Kelly and R. Postle, "Ion implantation of wool", Proc. Int. Ion Beam. Mod. Mat. 1995, Canberra.

 

2. K. McLean, R.C. Chatelier, G.J. Beumer, N. Brack, G. Johnson, M. Jenkins, J.G. Steele and H.J. Griesser, “ Corneal epitheal tissue migration on different polysaccharide coatings” 5th World Biomaterials Congress, 1999.

 

3. N. Brack, P.J. Pigram, B.F. Usher and I. Gay, “Microspectroscopy of industrial materials using imaging XPS”, The 12th International Federation of Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering Congress, 29 October – 2 November 2000, Melbourne, Australia, 43-50.

 

4. M. Atkin, J. Hayes, N. Brack, E. Harvey, R. Cattrall and K. Poetter, “Disposable bio-chip fabrication for DNA diagnostics”, SPIE International Conference Smart Materials Nano- and Micro Smart Systems”, 16-18 December 2002, Melbourne Australia.

 

5. F. Blin, S.G. Leary, L. Demetriou, G.B. Deacon, P.C. Junk, N. Brack, A.E. Hughes and M. Forsyth, “Study of the corrosion inhibition mechanism of new rare earth cinnamates compounds”, Eurocorr 2004, Niece, France, 12-16 September 2004

 

Research projects

My current research interests include:

  • growth and manipulation of carbon nanotubes for advanced composite materials,
  • development of novel surface treatments for the improvement of titanium adhesive bonds,
  • immobilisation and hybridisation of oligonucleotides onto polymeric surfaces