Dr Bill Humphries.

Dr Bill Humphries: developing functional fibrous materials for protection and health

Dr Humphries leads the Advanced Fibrous Materials Theme for the Future Manufacturing Flagship.

• 5 August 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Humphries is currently Advanced Fibrous Materials (AFM) Theme Leader for the Future Manufacturing Flagship.

As the Theme Leader, Dr Humphries focuses on the use of advanced materials in fibrous structures to create high-value products and solutions for:

• health and hygiene
• performance and protection
• minerals and environment.

Building industry-led clusters for textile research

Dr Humphries is seeking to join forces with other TCF companies, researchers and end users to form innovation clusters to identify and develop key technology platforms which will underpin the manufacture of globally competitive products.

One such group has already formed. The Australian Textile Technologies and Innovation Centre (ATTIC), which includes CSIRO, Bruck Textiles, RMIT University and the Defence Materials Technology Centre, will have a strong focus on personal protection, environmental, health care and military applications.

ATTIC aims to ensure that Australia is positioned as a leading-edge global supplier of high-performance textile products.

Protection and performance

The development of improved protective clothing for defence and emergency services personnel is an important aspect of the work under Dr Humphries' direction.

One of his teams is currently working with CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship on energy harvesting, energy storage and advanced fibre development to create integrated battery technology for defence personnel.

Another team has been awarded Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator program funding to demonstrate the capabilities of lightweight and flexible fibre-reinforced ceramic composite body armour with exceptional strength and antiballistic protection.

A third group has been awarded a Victorian Science Agenda grant for CSIRO and innovative glove manufacturer, Hysport International, to develop a glove that is puncture and heat resistant and that resists microbial pathogens to provide better protection to prison officers and other at-risk workers.

Health and hygiene

Part of the work in Dr Humphries' theme is devoted to using functional textiles for health and hygiene purposes, for example:

• to prevent and treat wounds, such as pressure ulcers
• to provide better comfort for users of incontinence products through improved fluid management
• to use sensor technology implanted in clothing or devices to monitor patient well-being.

Environment

In the environment sector, we are seeking to establish a filtration and separation group, to establish:

• enhanced filtration products
• improved mineral dewatering fabrics
• metals recovery
• salt removal.

With the Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Association and Deakin University, we are exploring:

• waste minimisation at the source of manufacture (textiles)
• new products from recycled fibrous and polymeric materials.

Background

Dr Humphries joined CSIRO Textile Physics in 1978, the same year he completed his Doctorate, to initiate research on the use of fabrics as filters.

Some years later the programs of that Division were moved to Geelong, Victoria, becoming part of CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology, which was recognised as the pre-eminent textile research centre in Australia. From 1 July 2008, CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology was amalgamated with CMSE. 

Dr Humphries instigated filtration research programs in collaboration with companies such as:

• Alcoa
• Mt Isa Mines
• Pacific Power
• Tubemakers.

CSIRO has continued working on textile filters focusing on the use of electrostatically-charged wool filters.

Our electrostatically-charged wool filters have now been commercialised and are on sale in hardware stores.

Dr Humphries also played a significant role in the team effort to develop the Laserscan™ system for measuring wool fibre diameter. 

This work was done in conjunction with the Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd.

Dr Humphries also led a group which developed:

• instruments for wool and cotton fibre specification
• processing prediction models
• quality controls for use during processing.

Academic qualifications

Dr Humphries has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours
• Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, in 1978.

Dr Humphries' doctoral work was focused on the transport and deposition of airborne particulates.

Achievements

Dr Humphries guided the development of filtration systems from concept to laboratory bench tests, through to commercial adoption.

'It was immensely satisfying to be present during the installation of one of our systems by a large mining and smelting company like Mt Isa Mines,' said Dr Humphries. 'Textile filters for large plants like power stations are extremely complex and cost around A$100 million.'

Read more about CSIRO work in Fibre Science and Engineering Research Program overview.