Dave Bartels

Dave Bartels is a Concurrent Professor at the Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, with academic rank of Professor. He can be contacted at bartels.5@nd.edu. His research spans Physical and Analytical Chemistry, focusing on energy and measurement technologies.

Education:

• B.A., Hope College, 1977
• Ph.D., Northwestern University, 1982

His research interests include fast kinetics of free radical reactions, radiation chemistry, and photochemistry of water. These radicals play critical roles in radiation-initiated processes, with applications in nuclear reactors and hazardous waste treatment. He also investigates solvent effects on reaction rates in supercritical water, where water properties change dramatically under high temperature and pressure.

Recent publications highlight his work on radical reactions in aqueous systems, exploring phenomena such as OH radical scavenging in borate buffers, solvated electron dynamics in plasma electrolysis, and CO2 reactivity with hydrated electrons. His studies also examine radiation-induced hydrogen generation and temperature-dependent radical reactions with metal ions.

He has been affiliated with the Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory since 2003, following a tenure at Argonne National Laboratory (1985–2003). His work bridges fundamental chemical dynamics with applied technologies for nuclear and environmental applications.