Professor Mark J. Biggs

B.E. (UNSW),  PhD (Adelaide)

Location: Room N122 Engineering North
Email: mark.biggs@adelaide.edu.au
Phone: + 61 8 8303 5447
FAX: +61 8 8303 4373

Research Interests

My current research is focused on the elucidation of the fundamentals of interfacial systems across the lengthscales, and the application of this knowledge to problems of real practical importance. The interfacial systems I currently work on are:

• nanoporous carbons,
• proteins at solid interfaces, and
• multiphase fluids.

My PhD, which was awarded in 1996 from the University of Adelaide in Australia, was concerned with modelling of coal combustion. Although I continued work in this area until the late 1990s, I no longer undertake coal-related research.

My work has been reported in over 40 publications to date, details of which may be found in my publication list.

My work is supported by a number of organizations including the EPSRC and the RAEng/Leverhulme Trust amongst others. This support has allowed me to build a compute cluster and maintain a group typically of 4 PhD students and 1-2 PDRAs.

If you think you would like to undertake a PhD under my supervision or spend some time in my group as a visiting scholar, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Publications

Below is my list of publications. Where allowed by copyright, I have provided links to the electronic form of the article - just click on the publication of interest

Refereed journal publications in print

• M.J. Biggs and M. Mijajlovic, Switching in polyalanine at a solid surface, Nanomedicine, 4, 262-265, 2008.
  
• Q. Cai, A. Buts, N. A. Seaton and M. J. Biggs, A pore network model for diffusion in nanoporous carbons: Validation by molecular dynamics simulation, Chemical Engineering Science, 63, 3319-3327, 2008.
  
• Q. Cai, M.J. Biggs and N.A. Seaton, Effect of pore wall model on prediction of diffusion coefficients for graphitic slit pores, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 10, 2519-2527, 2008.
  
• V. Zivkovic, M.J. Biggs, D.H. Glass, P. Pagliai and A. Buts, Particle dynamics in a dense vibrated fluidized bed as revealed by diffusing wave spectroscopy, Powder Technology, 182, 192-201, 2008.
  
• M.J. Biggs, D. Glass, L. Xie, V. Zivkovic, A. Buts and M.A.C. Kounders, Granular temperature in a gas fluidized bed, Granular Matter, 10, 63-73, 2008 (invited).
  
• M. Mijajlovic and M.J. Biggs, Study of conformational switching in polyalanine at solid surfaces using molecular simulation, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 111, 15839-15847, 2007 (invited).
  
• M. Mijajlovic and M.J. Biggs, On use of Amber Potential with Langevin Dipole Method, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 111, 7591-7602, 2007 (feature article).
  
• Q. Cai, A. Buts, M.J. Biggs, N.A. Seaton, Evaluation of methods for determining the pore size distribution and pore-network connectivity of porous carbons, Langmuir, 23, 8430-8440, 2007.
  
• L. Xie, M.J. Biggs, D. Glass, S.U. Egelhaaf and G. Petekidis, Granular temperature distribution in a gas fluidized bed of hollow microparticles prior to onset of bubbling, Europhysics Letters, 74, 268-274, 2006.
  
• M.J. Biggs and A. Buts, Virtual porous carbons: What they are and what they can be used for, Molecular Simulation, 32, 579-593, 2006 (invited).
  
• D.P. Djurdjevic and M.J. Biggs, Ab initio protein fold prediction using evolutionary algorithms: Influence of design and control parameters on performance, Journal of Computational Chemistry, 27, 1177-1195, 2006.
  
• M.J. Biggs, A. Buts and D. Williamson, Absolute assessment of adsorption-based porous solid characterisation methods: Comparison methods, Langmuir, 20, 7123-7138, 2004.
  
• M.J. Biggs, A. Buts and D. Williamson, Molecular simulation evidence for solid-like adsorbate in complex microporous carbon structures, Langmuir, 20, 5786-5800, 2004 (feature article).
  
• X. Hu, J.J. Zhang, S. Mukhnahallipatna, J. Hamann, M.J. Biggs and P.K. Agarwal, Transformations and destruction of nitrogen oxides - NO, NO2 and N2O - in pulsed corona discharge reactor, Fuel, 82, 1675-1684, 2003.
  
• T.J. Bandosz, M.J Biggs, K.E. Gubbins, Y. Hattori, T. Iiyama, K. Kaneko, J. Pikunic and K. Thomson, Molecular models of porous carbons, Chemistry and Physics of Carbon, 28, 41-228, 2003 (invited).
  
• M.J. Biggs, S.J. Humby, A. Buts and U. Tüzün, Explicit numerical simulation of suspension flow with deposition in porous media: Influence of local flow field variation on deposition processes predicted by trajectory methods, Chemical Engineering Science, 58, 1271-1288, 2003.
  
• S.J. Humby, M.J. Biggs and U. Tüzün, Explicit numerical simulation of fluids in reconstructed porous media, Chemical Engineering Science, 57, 1955-1968, 2002.
  
• J. Hague, C. T. Ta, M.J. Biggs and J.A. Sattary, Small scale model for CFD validation in DAF application, Water Science and Technology, 43(8), 167-173, 2001.
  
• M.J. Biggs and S.J. Humby, Lattice-gas automata methods for engineering, Transactions of the IChemE, 76A, 162-174, 1998 (invited).
  
• S. Kulasekaran, T.M. Linjewile, P.K. Agarwal and M.J. Biggs, Combustion of a porous char particle in an incipiently fluidized bed, Fuel, 77, 1549-1560, 1998.
  
• M.J. Biggs and P.K. Agarwal, CO/CO2 product ratio for a porous char particle within an incipiently fluidized bed: A numerical study, Chemical Engineering Science, 52, 941-952, 1997.
  
• M. Biggs and P. Agarwal, Mass diffusion of diatomic fluids in random micropore spaces using equilibrium molecular-dynamics, Physical Review E, 49, 531-537, 1994.
  
• M.J. Biggs and P.K. Agarwal, Mathematical modeling of oscillations in the temperature of freely moving burning carbonaceous particles in bubbling fluidized beds, Fuel, 72, 805-811, 1993.
  
• M. Biggs and P. Agarwal, Mass diffusion of atomic fluids in random micropore spaces using equilibrium molecular-dynamics, Physical Review A, 46, 3312-3318, 1992.

 Refereed journal publications/book chapters in press

• M.J. Biggs, Molecular simulation for nanofluids, to appear in Colloids: Nanoscience background (ed: V. Starov), Taylor and Francis.
  
• V. Zivkovic, M.J. Biggs , D. Glass, P. Pagliai and A. Buts, Granular temperature in a liquid fluidized bed as revealed by diffusing wave spectroscopy, to appear in Chemical Engineering Science.

 Refereed journal or conference publications or book chapters submitted

• M.J. Biggs, A.K. Roy and C.J. Hughes, First principles treatment of boundary conditions in SPH
  
• M. Mijajlovic, D.P. Djurdjevic and M.J. Biggs, The behavior of an EA used in ab initio protein fold prediction can vary significantly with the potential energy model used.
  
• A. Buts, M.J. Biggs and D.H. Glass, Non-Boltzmann kinetics of vibrating granular systems. 1D density and velocity profiles.

 Refereed conference publications

• Q. Cai, A. Buts, M.J. Biggs and N.A. Seaton, A method for predicting the diffusion coefficient based on the physical characterisation of porous carbons by adsorption, accepted to appear in the Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Characterisation of Porous Solids.
  
• M.J. Biggs, M. Mijajlovic and D.P. Djurdjevic, Towards in silico rational de novo design of peptides for inorganic interfaces, accepted to Proceedings of Chemeca 2008.
  
• M.J. Biggs, V. Zivkovic, D.H. Glass, P. Pagliai and A. Buts, Particle dynamics and granular temperatures in dense fluidized beds as revealed by multiple light scattering techniques, accepted to Proceedings of Chemeca 2008.
  
• M.J. Biggs, R. Layfield, M. Mijajlovic, A. Buts and G.R. Duursma, Explicit numerical simulation of binary drop collision in a linear shear field at finite Reynolds numbers, accepted to Proceedings of Chemeca 2008.
  
• M.J. Biggs, A. Buts, Q. Cai and N.A. Seaton, Absolute assessment of adsorption-based microporous solid characterisation methods, in Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis (eds. P. L. Llewellyn, F. Rodriquez-Reinoso, J. Rouqerol and N. Seaton; ISBN: 0444520228), 160, 79-86, 2006.
  
• Q. Cai, A. Buts, N.A. Seaton and M.J. Biggs, Characterization of the porosity of a microporous model carbon, in Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis (eds. P. L. Llewellyn, F. Rodriquez-Reinoso, J. Rouqerol and N. Seaton; ISBN: 0444520228), 160, 257-264, 2006.
  
• J. Hague, C.T. Ta and M.J. Biggs, Small-scale models for validation of CFD in Water Applications, in Water Industry Systems: Modelling and Optimisation Applications (eds. D.A. Savic and G.A. Walters; ISBN: 0 86380 248 6), Research Studies Press Ltd., Exeter, pp. 125-139, 1999.
  
• M.J. Biggs and P.K. Agarwal, Temperature of freely moving carbonaceous particles in fluidised beds, Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on ICT, 35.1-35.15, 1994.

 Non-refereed conference publications

• M.J. Biggs and M. Mijajlovic, Towards rational de novo design of peptides for inorganic interfaces, Proceedings of the NSTI Nanotechnology Conference, 2008 (4 pages).
  
• M.J. Biggs, D.H. Glass, L. Xie, V. Zivkovic and M.A. (Curt) Kounders, Granular temperature distribution in a gas fluidised bed, Proceedings of the World Congress on Particle Technology 5, 2006 (8 pages).
  
• M.J. Biggs and A. Buts, Absolute assessment of adsorption-based characterisation methods, Proceedings of the International Carbon Conference, 2006 (11 pages).
  
• Q. Cai, A. Buts, M.J. Biggs and N.A. Seaton, A hybrid molecular simulation/pore network model for diffusion in carbons, Proceedings of the International Carbon Conference, 2006 (5 pages).
  
• L. Xie, M.J. Biggs, S.U. Egelhaaf and D.H. Glass, Non-intrusive measurement of granular temperature in a fluidized bed of hollow microspheres, Proceedings of the 2003 AIChE Annual Meeting, 2003 (3 pages).
  
• M.J. Biggs, V. Koutsos and C. Kitching, Delivery of a nanotechnology course in a heterogeneous engineering environment, Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education, 2002 (4 pages).
  
• M.J. Biggs and A. Buts, Absolute assessment of porous carbon characterization methods, Proceedings of the International Carbon Conference, 2002 (2 pages).
  
• J. Hague, C.T. Ta and M.J. Biggs, Dense Micro-bubble flow system CFD modelling and experimental validation, Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Multiphase Flow, 2001 (12 pages).
  
• N. Christakis, M.K. Patel, M. Cross J. Baxter, M.J. Biggs and U. Tüzün, On the continuum modelling of granular flows with the aid of micro-mechanical parameterisations, Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering, 2000 (4 pages).
  
• M.J. Biggs and S.J. Humby, Lattice-gas automata methods for engineering problems, Proceedings of the 5th UK National Conference on Heat Transfer, 1997 (25 pages).

 Other publications

• P. Agarwal, M. Biggs, R. Borgialli, X. Hu, J. Nicholas and J.J. Zhang. NOx destruction device based on pulsed corona discharge, Patent application number WO 03052032.
  
• M.J. Biggs and D.H. Glass, Editorial for the special issue of Powder Technology on Granular Temperature, Powder Technology, 182, 127-129, 2008.