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3 December 1998 |
Ref 98/277 |
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Fundamental science and one of Australia's oldest industries have come together to win the CSIRO Chairman's Medal for 1998.
The new OPTIM™ process, developed jointly by CSIRO and The Woolmark Company, opens the way to a new era in the use of wool, according to CSIRO Chairman Mr Charles Allen.
Mr Allen is today (Thursday) presenting the Chairman's Medal to the team which developed OPTIM™ — Dr Ahmed Bhoyro, Dr John Cook, Dr David King, Dr Gary O'Loughlin, Dr David Phillips, Dr John Rippon, Mr Keith Thomas and Dr John Warner. The gold medal is accompanied by a cheque for $25,000 dollars.
Mr Allen describes the new process as being based on a fundamental understanding of the physics, chemistry, and biological structure of wool fibres.
"OPTIM™ produces two new and superior types of fibre from wool," says Mr Allen. "One gives increased volume while actually reducing weight, thus producing warmer but lighter knitwear.
"The second product is a completely new textile fibre. It has some properties of wool, some of silk, with a cool touch, a soft drape, and a fine lustre. Indeed X-rays show that the processed fibre is closer to silk in structure, and stronger and finer, than its parent wool."
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Malcolm McIntosh was one of the first to wear a suit made of OPTIM™ when he received his knighthood from the Queen in 1996.
A prototype machine has been producing OPTIM™ at CSIRO Wool Technology for the past two years.
"Two Japanese companies have commercialised OPTIM™,
and an Australian company was licensed to produce and market
OPTIM™ earlier this year" says Mr Allen. "Industry
sources anticipate that demand could rise to 2400 tonnes per
year, worth $12 million annually to Australian industry and creating
a sustained demand for Australian wool.
"OPTIM™ is one more in a long list of new processing
technologies developed by CSIRO Wool Technology to ensure an
ongoing demand for Australian wool by overseas processors and
fabric producers," says Mr Allen.
"It has been described as the most significant innovation in the wool industry since the launch of machine washable wool in the 1960s. OPTIM™ will open possibilies for Australian industry to manufacture the fabric itself and create a suite of downstream manufacturing and value-adding opportunities."
CSIRO Wool Technology will display OPTIM™ products at the presentation of the Chairman's Medal.
The Chairman's Medal, first awarded in 1991, is awarded each year to the scientist or team whose research is of national or international importance in advancing scientific knowledge, technology application or commercialistion.
The presentation will take place at noon, Thursday 3 December, at South One Theatre, Building 64, Monash University, Clayton, Vic.
CSIRO Medals for 1998 are also being presented by Nobel laureate Professor Peter Doherty to:
o Dr Robert Leicester from the Division of Building, Construction and Engineering, for scientific contributions to knowledge of timber structural properties.
o Dr Lister Stavely-Smith and a team from the Australia Telescope National Facility and the Division of Telecommunication and Industrial Physics, for the Parkes 21-cm Multibeam System.
o Dr Stephen Wilkins and a team from the Divisions of Manufacturing Science and Technology, and Forestry and Forest Products, for developments in hard x-ray phase contrast imaging.
And the External Medal is awarded to:
o Professor David Boger from the Department of Chemical Engineering, the University of Melbourne, for his work on viscoelastic fluid mechanics.
More information from:
Mr Pat Naughtin, CSIRO Wool Technology 03-5246 4000
0418 320 787 (m)
Media room (Thursday only) 03-9905 9220
(Australia's largest scientific research organisation)
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