Dr. David Fairhurst is President of Colloid Consultants Ltd. a company that offers consulting services (from exploratory research projects through formulation and characterization to product production) in the field of cosmetics, personal care, and pharmaceutics and in all general areas of emulsion and dispersion technology. He is an internationally recognized expert in his field of expertise.

He was from 2016 to 2020, a member of the Opinion Leader Panel of the Economist Intelligence Unit which undertakes research on behalf of blue-chip companies around the world. To ensure that the reports reflect current thinking, Panel members are surveyed to capture fresh perspectives on a range of business, social and economic issues.

Formerly, Dr. Fairhurst was Executive Vice President of both Particle Sciences Inc. and NPR Healthcare Inc.

PSI was originally created (in 1994) as the R&D arm of sunSmart inc., a company that invented innovative ingredients for sun protection including Z-CoteÔ, a transparent microfine zinc oxide - voted by Forbes magazine as one of the top ten nanotechnology products of 2003 and SunCapsÔ (encapsulated sunscreens, vitamins, and organic actives).

At sunSmart, Dr. Fairhurst served as Senior Vice President and was directly involved (assisting CEO Dr. Mark Mitchnick) in discussions with the FDA to have zinc oxide included in the Final Monograph on Sunscreens, and to be designated as a Category I sunscreen active. PSI was spun-off following the sale of sunSmart assets to BASF in 1999.

At PSI, Dr. Fairhurst established and, for a time, managed a particle characterization laboratory to support formulation and production. The initial business focus of PSI was to manufacture, and sell, specialty raw materials to the cosmetics and the pharmaceutical industries.  In addition, it offered custom formulation, surface modification and encapsulation services, aimed at controlled release and product stabilization. PSI evolved into a full-service CRO providing an integrated suite of drug development services (that utilized a variety of patented and proprietary delivery technologies) and was acquired by The LUBRIZOL Corporation (a Berkshire-Hathaway company) in 2015.

NPR was established (as an independent subsidiary of PSI) in 2000 to develop and market a line of skin-care products targeted specifically at dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and aestheticians. Many of the products utilized unique encapsulated actives manufactured through PSI. Dr. Fairhurst was involved in the formulation of skin, diaper, eye, and lip products (encompassing gels, lotions, creams, and ointments). NPR was sold to a private venture in 2007.

Dr. Fairhurst “retired” from corporate management of PSI in 2009 but continued to enjoy an emeritus position as Corporate Research Fellow until its sale in 2015.

David was also, for seven years (until December 2010) a consulting advisor on microbicide formulations (semisolids and vaginal rings) to the International Partnership for Microbicides, a PPP (created initially through the Rockefeller and Gates Foundations and the World Health Organization) whose mission is to prevent HIV transmission by accelerating the development and availability of safe and effective microbicides for use by women in developing countries.

In addition, he was for five years (until December 2008) an associate investigator in a consortium sponsored jointly by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Welcome Trust (UK), and headed by Professor Robin Shattock (St. Georges Hospital Medical School and Imperial University, London). Funded as one of the Grand Challenges in Global Health, the consortium’s aim was to develop a “novel antigen design and delivery for sustained mucosal protection against HIV-1 infection”.

Dr. Fairhurst has over 60 years’ experience in the theory and practical applications of colloid and surface chemistry, as well as dispersion/emulsion technology.

His interests in surface and interfacial science began in 1960 when, as a laboratory assistant with Shell Research, U.K., he worked on problems of detergency in both aqueous and non-aqueous media under the supervision of E.J. Clayfield.  His expertise expanded into the areas of gas and solution adsorption, as an undergraduate at Liverpool College of Technology, under the tutorship of Professor K.S.W. Sing (Brunel University and Exeter University).  He graduated with a B.Sc. (Honours) in Applied Chemistry (and was awarded a British Association for the Advancement of Science Prize) and then, continued with postgraduate studies, at the Liverpool Polytechnic culminating, anno 1968, with the award of a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry; his external viva voce examiner was Professor Ron Ottewill (Bristol University).  His Ph.D. thesis, under the supervision of Professor A. L. Smith (Imperial College, London and University College, Oxford), was concerned with the studies of electrokinetic phenomena at the silver-halide solution interface.  Pertinent to photographic processes, the work was supported by a grant from Ilford Ltd.  During this period David built a device to measure the aggregation (flocculation and coagulation) of silver halide sols and he designed the prototype instrument that, later, was commercialized and sold as the Rank Bros. MK II Microelectrophoresis Apparatus.  This development included a study of electrode polarization and Joule heating effects and how they impacted precise electrophoretic mobility measurements. He demonstrated how these effects could be minimized by the use of a thin walled microelectrophoresis cell and electrodes of Pt-black or combination Pd/Mo electrodes. Years later, these would be implemented in the design of cells for two other commercial zeta potential instruments – the PenKem Model 500/501 and the PenKem System3000 - and finally in the design of a cell to eliminate the problem of electro-osmosis (the Brookhaven ZetaPlus).

After obtaining his Ph.D. he was awarded a one-year Unilever Research Fellowship, at Unilever Research Laboratories, Port Sunlight, U.K. (with Dr. Colin Smart), to study the dispersion properties of builders in mixed water/solvent systems.

This was followed by two years as a Visiting Research Associate with Professors A. C. Zettlemoyer and F.J. Micale, at Lehigh University (U.S.A), to investigate dewatering phenomena in activated sludges for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  In addition, David worked on ink formulation at the National Printing Ink Research Institute (part of the Center for Surface and Coatings Research, Sinclair Laboratory) and taught post-graduate level (physical chemistry) courses in the Department of Chemistry.

Dr. Fairhurst returned to England in 1971 as a fully tenured Lecturer in Physical Chemistry at the Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Moores University) where he taught, and tutored, in all aspects of physical chemistry.  He established a Colloid and Surface Chemistry Research Laboratory and coordinated colloid/surface chemistry research and teaching within the Department of Chemistry and Biology.  During his short tenure at Liverpool, he developed an interest in emulsion polymerization and, specifically, the production and characterization (particle sizing and zeta potential) of (emulsifier-free) polymer colloids and in the grafting of polymers and other macromolecules to surfaces; an emphasis being placed on carrier particulates for delivery of biologic actives.  He was also responsible for overseeing the operation of the department Electron Microscopy Laboratory that provided analytical services to industry.

In 1974 Dr. Fairhurst joined, on an Open Competition Posting, the U.K. Chemical Defence Establishment (MOD) at Porton Down, Wiltshire.  At CDE, he was responsible for Special Projects R&D, with an emphasis on protective systems against chemical warfare agents, for both the U.K. and NATO armed forces.  A specific focus of studies concerned the topical and oral penetration of chemical toxins, and he authored the 1997 UK Position Paper on Chemical Defence.  He also advised (on secondment) the sister Microbiological Research Establishment on aspects of the interfacial chemistry of biological surfaces and helped formulate both penetrative and barrier systems for biological agents.  In addition, he was closely involved in the development of methods to monitor (and control) both contamination and decontamination of the land and water environments.

During this period Dr. Fairhurst continued his academic ties acting as an external thesis advisor at the Universities of Bristol and Aston and at Liverpool and Nottingham Polytechnics.

Dr. Fairhurst returned to the U.S.A. in 1981 to work, with Dr. E. D. Goddard, in the Surface Chemistry Skill Center of Union Carbide Corporation, Tarrytown, NY.  As a senior member, he was responsible for the management of research programs concerned with various surface physiochemical aspects of emulsification fundamentals and emulsion polymerization, cosmetic and pharmaceutical processing aids, lithographic processes, antifoam formulation, asphalt/bitumen systems, and the characterization and application of novel surface-active compounds based on silicones.  The work encompassed basic and exploratory research, product formulation and development.  To this end he established in his laboratory (in collaboration with Dr. M. P. Aronson) a multi-angle laser light scattering system to measure the particle size of suspensions and emulsions - one of the first in the USA.  In addition, he worked in close collaboration with, and support of, the Technical Services group of the Silicone and Urethane Intermediates Division.  Here much emphasis was placed on the development of silicone fluids and elastomers for use in cosmetics and personal care and also specialty materials for use in medical devices and applications. While at UCC, he invented enabling silane-coating technology for personal care.

In 1984 David was appointed as the Technical Director of PenKem Inc., (Bedford Hills, NY), a fledgling manufacturer of scientific instruments for particle characterization.  For four years, as the senior corporate technical officer, he was responsible for all instrument development, applications, customer support and worldwide sales.  At PenKem he pioneered development of zeta potential instrumentation based on both laser light scattering and electro-acoustic spectroscopy and, in addition, particle size measurement based on acoustic attenuation spectroscopy - publishing (in 1988) one of the first papers on the technique. He also helped introduce a unique ultra-low (“zero”) shear rheometer designed to probe the structures of gels. During his tenure the company sales increased by five-fold and established PenKem as a recognized major commercial supplier.

Dr. Fairhurst was, for six years, a partner in Brookhaven Instruments Corporation, (Holtsville, NY) where he served as Vice President (Sales and Marketing) and Director of Applications. This afforded him much collaboration with major industrial, cosmetic, personal care and pharmaceutical companies. During this period, he introduced to the market two unique techniques for the determination of zeta potential; one based on streaming potential and the second using phase analysis light scattering.  The latter technique was developed in specific response from the pharmaceutical industry for a technique to measure and characterize the stability of drugs dispersed in propellant fluids, as well as to be able to precisely measure biological surfaces, such as cells, in physiological milieu.  He was also directly involved in the development of the disc centrifuge technique (in two distinct detection modes: X-ray and light) and also the use of laser/fiber optic-based back-scattering methods – both for particle size analysis. His efforts resulted in over a six-fold increase in sales and in BIC becoming a major international player in the supply of instrumentation for particle characterization. He left in 1994 to work full-time with sunSmart.

In 2005, he co-founded XiGo Nanotools Inc., and served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer until his resignation in 2016.  The first commercial product was a unique particle surface analyzer using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); a flow-through modification for QC monitoring purposes received the 2014 Most Innovative Product Award by Ben Franklin Technology Partners. In addition, XiGo developed (with funding from the International Partnership for Microbicides) a “Smart Applicator”, a device to aid in monitoring adherence to clinical trial protocol of vaginal microbicide gels.

Recently, as a consulting advisor to Mageleka, Inc., he has been helping develop two further instrumental advances using the magnetic resonance platform. The first measures liquid diffusion (useful for studying drug binding and protein aggregation) and which also provides a means to measure the droplet size of emulsions and foams – without dilution (the first such device of its kind). Development of the droplet size device also paves the way to interrogate biomaterials such as cells, providing entry into medical diagnostics. The second is an intrusion porosimetry device that uses water (or solvents) – not mercury – for use with macro- and meso-porous solid materials.

During his career Dr. Fairhurst has authored 25 Confidential Business Reports and Classified Government Documents and is entitled to 10 patents. In addition, he is credited with over 500 scientific papers, technical articles, book chapters and presentations at scientific meetings; his first paper was published in 1964 in the Transactions of the Faraday Society and the most recent in Colloid and Polymer Science (March 2023).

For twenty-five years he was an annual guest lecturer on courses, organized by the American Chemical Society and STF (Sweden), covering modern methods of particle size analysis, the application of zeta potential measurements to industrial problems, the fundamentals of emulsification, the dispersion of powders in liquids and the formulation of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. And, over the course of his career, Dr. Fairhurst has also been an invited lecturer on a variety of annual courses concerned with similar topics organized by the University of Massachusetts (Professor R. Rowell), the University of Washington (Professor J. Berg), Lehigh University (Professor F. Fowkes and Professor Ned Heindel), the University of Bristol, UK (Professor B. Vincent), the University of New South Wales, Australia (Professor J. Roper), IBM (Dr. K. Mittal), Xerox (Dr. I. Morrison), the Fine Particle Society (Dr. T. Ariman), and the International Fine Particle Research Institute (Ing. N. de Jaeger).  He has been an adjunct with Fairleigh Dickinson University (Masters in Cosmetic Science program) and served on the Scientific Advisory Board of MANTA Inc. from inception in 2014 until its acquisition by HORIBA Instruments in 2019. In 2021 he was invited to join the Scientific Advisory Board of SPOKES SCIENCES, a technology company that is developing innovative products to provide better, safer, and more reliable functional ingredients to foods and beverages that enhance the health and wellness of consumers.

In 2016 David celebrated a 50-year membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry and he remains a member of various other professional societies in both the U.S.A. and the U.K.  Elected to Sigma Xi in 1970, he is also a Chartered Scientist (EU) and a Chartered Chemist (UK). In 2003 he received the Lester Conrad Memorial Award from the Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists, for his work advancing the science of sun protection and in 2008 he was recognized by the American Chemical Society (NY Section) as Distinguished Scientist of the Year, in recognition of his contribution to the development of HIV-prevention options for women.

Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxation has emerged as a transformative technique for analyzing complex solid-liquid and liquid-liquid systems, including suspensions and emulsions. Unlike traditional high-field NMR, LF-NMR employs compact, cost-effective bench-top devices such as the Mageleka MagnoMeter, offering superior relaxation time resolution while simplifying operation and minimizing training requirements.

LF-NMR relaxation excels in characterizing wetted surface areas, dispersion quality, and interfacial interactions in particulate suspensions. It provides quantitative insights into the adsorption behavior of surfactants, polymers, and additives, revealing the dynamics of competitive adsorption and wetting phenomena. Additionally, this non-invasive, non-destructive method enables repeatable analysis of stored samples, making it ideal for long-term stability studies.

The technology is particularly advantageous for quality control (QC), requiring minimal sample preparation and enabling rapid, accurate measurements without altering sample integrity. It has demonstrated utility in assessing polymer solubility, determining material equivalency, and optimizing formulations across research, development, and industrial production stages.

By bridging gaps left by traditional particle-sizing and zeta potential methods, LF-NMR relaxation offers an unparalleled ability to evaluate complex formulations with precision. Its application in coatings formulation delivers actionable data that enhances product consistency, accelerates R&D, and supports robust QC processes. This presentation will demonstrate the transformative potential of LF-NMR relaxation in advancing formulation science and improving industrial productivity.