University of Tasmania, Australia

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Karen Stack

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Dr Karen Stack

Lecturer & Research Fellow

BSc Hons (Sydney), PhD(Tas)

Karen Stack

Contact Details

Contact Campus Sandy Bay Campus
Building Chemistry Building
Room Reference 325
Telephone +61 3 6226 2169
Fax +61 3 6226 2858
Email Karen.Stack@utas.edu.au

Teaching Responsibilities

Units

  • KRA343 - Structures and Materials

Publications

  • Agarwal, V and McLean ,D and Horne, J and Richardson, D and Stack ,K (2013) Chemometric study of graft copolymerisation of guar-g-(acrylamide co-dially dimethylammonium chloride), J. Applied Polymer Science, 127. Pp. 3970-3979
  • Richardson, DE and Lee, R and Stack, KR and Lewis, TW and Garnier, G (2012) Process factors affecting colloid stability and deposit formation in manufacture of newsprint from TMP and recycled fibre. Appita Journal, 65 (4). pp. 323-330.
  • Barnett, J and Richardson, DE and Stack, KR and Lewis, TW (2012) Addition of trace metals and vitamins for the optimisation of a pulp and paper mill activated sludge wastewater treatment plant. Appita Journal, 65 (3). pp. 237-243.
  • Lee, R and Stack, KR and Richardson, DE and Lewis, TW and Garnier, G (2012) Effect of shear, temperature and pH on the dynamics of salt induced coagulation of wood resin colloids. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 396 . pp. 106-114
  • Lee, R and Stack, KR and Lewis, TW and Garnier, G and Richardson, DE and Ottaviani, M.F and Jockusch, S and Turro, N.J (2012) Structure of wood extract colloids and effect of CaCl2 on the molecular mobility. Nordic Pulp and Paper Research Journal, 27 (3). pp. 639-646
  • Yaqoob, N and Stack, KR and Rehman, I and Cheema, KJ and Hameed, SR and Mateen, B (2011) Distribution of a-Cellulose, Hemicelluloses and Acid Insoluble Lignin During Total Chlorine Free Bleaching of AS/AQ Wheat Straw Pulp. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 23 (7). pp. 3050-3054.
  • Lee, R and Garnier, G and Lewis, TW and Richardson, DE and Van de Ven, TGM and Stack, KR (2011) Pitch deposition at the solidâliquid interface: Effect of surface hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and cation specificity. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 388 . pp. 84-90.
  • McLean, DS and Agarwal, V and Stack, KR and Horne, J and Richardson, DE (2011) Synthesis of guar gum-graft-poly(acrylamide-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and its application in the pulp and paper industry. BioResources, 6 (4). pp. 4168-4180

Full Publication List

Achievements

Dr Stack has a PhD from the University of Tasmania (1992) and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Sydney (1980). In 1995 she was appointed associate lecturer at the University of Tasmania and in 2003 became a Research Fellow. She has 8 years industrial experience in the pulp and paper industry. 

Karen Stack was employed from 1981-1984 as a project chemist at Australian Newsprint Mills (ANM) in Tasmania. In 1984 she became Assistant Technical Services Superintendent. In June 1987, she left ANM and taught Maths at Fahan School. She undertook a PhD from 1988 to 1992. From 1992-1995 she worked as a research assistant in the Pulp and Paper Research group at UTas. In 1995 she was appointed as a part time lecturer, supervising students in the Pulp and Paper Group and lecturing in Surface Chemistry.

  • 2002- Oertel Naudebaum Award for Distinguished Service award for service to APPITA
  • 2005, 2012: Jasper Marden Prize for significant contribution to the Science and Technology of Paper Making
  • 2010: Elected as a Fellow to APPTA
  • 2011: Teaching merit certificate
  • 2012: Ken Madden award for best technical paper in APPITA Journal

Research Interests

Dr Stack is part of the Pulp and Paper Research Group. Her research interests are in the general field of Colloid and Surface chemistry in particular aspects relating to the manufacture of paper. She has undertaken investigations into the retentions aids, recycling paper, bleaching with peroxide and wood extractives. Current projects involve studying pitch deposition on surfaces along with the recovery of wood extractives and potential uses for them.

Research Areas:

Current and Supervised Project/s:

  • Study of molecular interactions between wood pitch fixatives and components of wood pitch
  • Studies of improvements to flotation deinking at Norske Skog Albury Paper Mill