James Baird, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry,Physics,
& Chemical Engineering
Contact
301 Sparkman Drive
Materials Science Building
Room 115
Huntsville, AL 35899
Campus Map
256.824.6441
james.baird@uah.edu
Biography
My efforts, which are largely theoretical, are directed toward questions on the border between chemistry and materials science. Since experiment is the final arbiter of the success of theory, I work closely with students who are interested in experiments. Although some students concentrate solely on experiment, others combine both theory and experiment, and all students are encouraged to analyze data and form conclusions based on their own findings. Recent research problems have included solid state diffusion, crystal growth, and critical phenomena involving chemical reactions in binary liquid mixtures with a consolute point.
Education
- Ph.D., Chemical Physics, Harvard University, 1969
- M.A., Physics, Harvard University, 1965
- B.S. Summa Cum Laude, Chemistry, Yale University, Chemistry, 1963
Expertise
- Physical Chemistry
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Protein Crystal Growth
- Fundamental Mechanisms
Recent Publications
James K. Baird Electromagnetation for Chemistry Spring, Berlin, 2026. ISBN-10, 3031885074; ISBN-13, 978-3031885075
James K. Baird and Jeffrey J. Weimer The Chemical Reaction Critical Point Exponent. Chem. Phys. 162, 244506 (2025) (editor's choice)
X. Wang, C. M. Lyons, James K. Baird, and Jeffrey J. Weimer Light Scattering as a Probe of Molecular Scale Fluctuations in Binary Liquid Mixtures with a Critical Point of Solution Journal of Applied Physics 137, 064306 (2025).
Pauline R. Norris, Xingjian Wang, and James K. Baird Test of the Universality Principle: The Solubility of Organic Solids in Binary Liquid Mixtures Having a Critical Point of Solution. Journal of Molecular Liquids 397, 123994 (2024).
Xingjian Wang, Pauline R. Norris, Jason Mote, Rosa Mauro, and James K. Baird A Test of the Universality Principle: The Solubility of Metal Salts and Oxides in Isobutyric Acid+ Water Near Its Consolute Point Journal of Molecular Liquids 390, 122871 (2023)
Xingjian Wang, Christopher M. Lyons, and James K. Baird Quenching of Critical Opalescence in Binary Liquid Mixtures Journal of Molecular Liquids 386, 122326 (2023)
Douglas A. Barlow and James K. Baird Kinetic Law Leading to a Hyperbolic Growth Rate for Protein Crystals Trends in Physical Chemistry 22, 95 - 100 (2022)
James K. Baird and Douglas A. Barlow,Analytic Solution to the Rate Law for a Fundamental Autocatalytic Reaction Mechanism Operating in the"'Efficient' Regime" International Journal of Chemical Kinetics 54, 586 - 593 (2022)
James K. Baird and Robert A. Frederick, Jr. Thermochemistry of Combustion in Polyvinyl Alcohol+ Hydroxylammonium Nitrate Aerospace .8_, 142 -156 (2021).
J. K. Baird, S. Huang, and R. A. Frederick Space Charge Limited Conduction in Polyvinyl Alcohol + Hydroxylammonium Nitrate Solid Propellant Journal of Propulsion and Power 36, 479 -484 (2020)
