Patrick Keane

Patrick Keane

School of Chemical Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Dr. Patrick Keane is a Researcher at the University of Adelaide, where he designs, constructs, and operates laboratory-scale reactor vessels for the Bayer process as part of the AlumiNEXT HILTCRC (Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre). His research expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including material science and engineering, thermal energy storage, additive manufacturing, geopolymers & composites, and electrification & energy efficiency 

Dr. Keane has extensive experience in aluminosilicate synthesis, characterisation, and mechanical property evaluation. He is also adept at organic and inorganic chemistry, particularly in synthesising ceramic precursors. His work includes the study of corrosion of metals and ceramics exposed to molten salts at high temperatures. He has proven experience with various ceramic processing techniques such as pressing, extruding, tape casting, and firing.   
 

A significant portion of his research focuses on thermal energy storage systems. He has designed, prototyped, and analysed thermal energy storage systems operating at temperatures above 800°C and below -30°C, utilising brines, molten salts, and refractories. He has also worked on producing chloride and carbonate eutectics for these systems.   
 

Dr. Keane has proven experience in the material aspect of large-scale additive manufacturing using concrete. His work at the US Army Corps of Engineers involved the rheology and material properties of 3D printable concrete, including training personnel on its application for constructing barrack huts. He has also been involved in 3D printing using plastics and geopolymer composites on both small and large scales.   
 

His doctoral research focused on "Amorphous Self-Healing Geopolymer Composites for Molten Salt Containment". He has investigated natural alkali activators and rock-forming clays, and worked on the decarbonization of Portland cement using metakaolin-based geopolymers. His publications reflect extensive work on geopolymer composites, including those reinforced with basalt fibers, hemp, flax felt, and bone ash.   
 

Dr. Keane contributed to the RACE 2030 CRC's work on the electrification of heat  and produced a literature review on energy usage in Australian agricultural sectors for the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity.   


Dr. Keane's research has led to numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and conference presentations. His publications have appeared in journals such as Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, and Ceramics International. He also holds a provisional patent for "AMORPHOUS SELF-HEALING GEOPOLYMERS AND USES THEREOF".

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2024 Keane, P. F., Jacob, R., Belusko, M., Kriven, W. M., Stanford, N., & Bruno, F. (2024). Compositional effects in potassium metakaolin geopolymers containing alumina and glass frit. Ceramics International, 50(21), 43907-43917.
    DOI
    2024 Sa Ribeiro, R. A., Sa Ribeiro, M. G., Keane, P. F., Sardela, M. R., Sa Ribeiro, P. J., & Kriven, W. M. (2024). Regional metakaolin particle size reduction for higher strength geopolymer. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 21(5), 3184-3192.
    DOI Scopus3
    2023 Opolot, M., Zhao, C., Keane, P. F., Liu, M., Mancin, S., Bruno, F., & Hooman, K. (2023). Discharge performance of a high temperature phase change material with low-cost wire mesh. Applied Thermal Engineering, 223, 18 pages.
    DOI Scopus5
    2023 Keane, P. F., Jacob, R., Belusko, M., & Bruno, F. (2023). Self-Healing Glass/Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Composite Exposed to Molten Sodium Chloride and Potassium Chloride. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 13(4), 13 pages.
    DOI Scopus5
    2023 Zhao, C., Opolot, M., Keane, P., Wang, J., Liu, M., Bruno, F., . . . Hooman, K. (2023). Thermal characteristics of melting of a phase change material enhanced by a stainless-steel 304 periodic structure. Energy Storage and Saving, 2(2), 442-448.
    DOI Scopus8
    2023 Haseli, P., Majewski, P., Christo, F., Keane, P., Jafarian, M., & Bruno, F. (2023). A review paper on the extraction of potassium from non-soluble resources with the use of acid and alkaline solution and molten salts. Minerals Engineering, 204, 19 pages.
    DOI Scopus8
    2022 Keane, P., Jacob, R., Belusko, M., Kriven, W. M., Stanford, N., & Bruno, F. (2022). Microstructural evolution of amorphous self-healing geopolymer composites containing alumina and glass frit. International Journal of Ceramic Engineering and Science, 4(5), 327-339.
    DOI Scopus9
    2022 Sá Ribeiro, M. G., Sardela, M. R., Keane, P. F., Lopez, J. S., Kriven, W. M., & Sá Ribeiro, R. A. (2022). Lateritic soil geopolymer composites for ceramics and engineering construction applications. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 19(4), 2148-2159.
    DOI Scopus4
    2021 Sá Ribeiro, M. G., Sá Ribeiro, M. G., Keane, P. F., Sardela, M. R., Kriven, W. M., & Sá Ribeiro, R. A. (2021). Acid resistance of metakaolin-based, bamboo fiber geopolymer composites. Construction and Building Materials, 302, 9 pages.
    DOI Scopus32
    2021 Keane, P. F., Foltz, J. S., Chadha, V., Marsh, C. P., & Kriven, W. M. (2021). Amorphous self-healed, chopped basalt fiber-reinforced, geopolymer composites. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 104(7), 3443-3451.
    DOI Scopus18
    2021 Bhuiya, A. W., Hu, M., Sankar, K., Keane, P. F., Ribero, D., & Kriven, W. M. (2021). Bone ash reinforced geopolymer composites. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 104(6), 2767-2779.
    DOI Scopus16
    2021 Keane, P., Jacob, R., Trout, N., Clarke, S., & Bruno, F. (2021). Thermal stability of a waste-based alkali-activated material for thermal energy storage. Chemical Thermodynamics and Thermal Analysis, 3-4, 100014.
    DOI Scopus14

  • Conference Papers
    Year Citation
    2019 Keane, P. F., & Kriven, W. M. (2019). Microstructure and flexure strengths of dolomite particulate-reinforced geopolymer composites. In J. Wang, W. Kriven, T. Fey, P. Colombo, W. J. Weber, J. Amoroso, . . . M. Fukushima (Eds.), Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings Vol. 39 (pp. 173-181). FL, Daytona Beach: AMER CERAMIC SOC.
    DOI Scopus4
    2017 Keane, P. F., Kutyla, G. P., Wight, J. F., Rickard, W., & Kriven, W. M. (2017). Mica platelet-reinforced geopolymer composites. In W. M. Kriven, J. Wang, Y. Zhou, D. Zhu, & G. Costa (Eds.), Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings Vol. 37 (pp. 13-20). FL, Daytona Beach: JOHN WILEY & SONS INC.
    DOI Scopus5
    2017 Kutyla, G. P., Keane, P. F., Kriven, W. M., Carlson, T. A., & Marsh, C. P. (2017). Strength improvements in clay-based ceramic reinforced with discontinuous basalt fiber. In J. Salem, D. Singh, M. Fukushima, & A. Gyekenyesi (Eds.), MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND PERFORMANCE OF ENGINEERING CERAMICS AND COMPOSITES XI Vol. 37 (pp. 227-233). FL, Daytona Beach: JOHN WILEY & SONS INC.
    DOI Scopus1
    2017 Kutyla, G. P., Keane, P. F., Kriven, W. M., Carlson, T. A., & Marsh, C. P. (2017). Strength improvements in clay-based ceramic reinforced with discontinuous basalt fiber. In Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings Vol. 37 (pp. 227-233).
    DOI Scopus2
    2014 Musil, S. S., Keane, P. F., & Kriven, W. M. (2014). Green composite: Sodium-based geopolymer reinforced with chemically extracted corn husk fibers. In Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings Vol. 34 (pp. 123-133). Wiley.
    DOI Scopus26

Dr. Keane has been successful in securing and contributing to significant research funding. In 2025, he became a Co-Investigator for the "Development and Commercialisation of a Novel Domestic Heat Pump Water Heater," funded by RACE 2030.  In 2023, he served as the Materials Team Leader for the Australia India Strategic Research Fund Grant titled "Thermal Energy Storage for Food/Grain Drying with CST/RE to Lower Pollution" and was also a Co-Investigator for "Electrifying the Cold Chain – Phase 2," funded by RACE 2030 CRC.  He was recognized as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow in 2016.    

His research contributions have also been recognized through several awards. He won first place for the best PhD candidate presentation at the Alkali Activated Materials and Geopolymers ECI Conference in 2023.  In 2022, he was the recipient of the Australian Ceramic Society Travel Bursary Award.  Furthermore, he received the US Army Corps of Engineers Challenge Coin for excellence at the Maneuver Support, Sustainment, Protection, Integration Experiment in 2018.

Dr. Keane possesses experience in academic teaching and practical training. He has served as a Tutorial Lecturer and Grader for Mechanical Engineering courses MECH ENG 3005 and 5005 at UniSA STEM. Additionally, he was a practical instructor and marker for Mathematical Methods for Engineers 1. During his time with the US Army Corps of Engineers, he trained over 15 United States Marines and Soldiers on material consistency, rheology, and feed systems for large-scale additive manufacturing of barrack huts. Dr. Keane also has a long-standing background in music, having studied and taught cello for 20 years.

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