Dr Niall Finn: from fusion to fibre function, fashion and beyond

Physicist Dr Niall Finn carried out research into nuclear fusion in the UK and in Australia before joining CSIRO, where he works on advanced fibrous materials and technical textiles.

• 3 August 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Background
• Technical textiles
• Advanced fibrous materials
• Lightweight soft fabrics
• Plasma treatments improve processing
• Assisting industry

Background

Dr Niall Finn graduated in Physics at the University of Stirling in the United Kingdom (UK) and went on to complete a doctorate at the University of Essex, UK.

He has researched nuclear fusion at the Rutherford Laboratories (UK) and then at The University of Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Dr Finn joined CSIRO in 1991 and currently leads research on:

• nonwoven textiles
• advanced fibrous materials
• nanocomposite fibres
• fibre reinforced composites
• textile processing.

Dr Finn has contributed to many fibre and textile projects, including:

• quality control instrumentation
• online monitoring systems
• spinning technology (including Solospun)
• the use of large textile covers to protect drinking water storages.

'Our teams have expertise in chemistry, biochemistry and physics, and the experience to solve textile problems,' he says. 'You can really get things done. It’s great.'

Technical textiles

In recent years, Dr Finn’s research has concentrated on technical textiles, especially nonwovens.

With Mr Andrew Krajewski, he has developed a scanner that automatically checks the evenness of fibre mats (or webs) as they are assembled during the manufacture of nonwovens.

Dr Finn also works on the internal trim components of cars, most of which are nonwoven technical textiles, in association with the Automotive Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).

Advanced fibrous materials

Dr Finn’s research on advanced fibrous materials makes use of a bi-component synthetic fibre extruder, which produces filaments containing two polymers chosen for their complementary properties. For example, one component might provide a strong core, while the other might provide anti-microbial properties on the outside of the filament.

Nanocomposites are another form of advanced fibre in which one component of the fibre consists of nano scale particles, added to impart unusual properties.

'We can turn special fibres into a wide variety of textiles, either by traditional knitting and weaving processes, or as nonwovens,' he says.

Also being investigated are protein fibres such as:

• insect silks
• fibres made from chicken feathers
• waste wool.

Due to his extensive experience in technical textiles and fibrous materials science, Dr Finn is now working on an industry liaison role with nonwoven manufacturer, Textor, in Melbourne, Victoria.

Lightweight soft fabrics

As a way of producing a new type of lightweight soft fabric, Dr Finn and colleagues are researching blends of wool with microfibres.

Microfibres are too fine for conventional processing machinery. To date, they have typically been used in production of nonwovens.

However, Dr Finn is hoping to get around this limitation by blending wool and splittable fibres in woven and knitted fabrics made with conventional machinery.

After production of the fabric, the researchers split the bicomponent fibres into microfibres, with either chemical agents or mechanical agitation, producing ultra soft and lightweight wool blend fabrics.

Dr Finn says it’s not easy to do. 'The components have to stick together during processing. If they split too early we get a mess,' he says.

Plasma treatments improve processing

Dr Finn has developed and patented technology for the plasma treatment of wool before spinning and knitting.

Plasma treatment changes the surface properties of the fibres, allowing improved shrinkproofing treatments and the use of anti-pilling agents.

The treatment also allows production of yarns that are softer because they have less twist.

The plasma treatment process is fast and very robust and uses only ambient air as the process gas. It can also be used in technical textile applications, for example, to enhance the wettability and adhesion of resins to fibres.

Assisting industry

Consulting to industry remains an important role for Dr Finn and his colleagues, who assist the technical textile sector with:

• materials analysis
• testing and problem solving to help with product development or find the causes of failure.

In conjunction with the Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Association, CSIRO also offers training courses for industry, on topics such as:

• Introduction to nonwovens
• Product development.

'These services are extremely valuable to industry because we offer such a diverse range of skills,' Dr Finn says. 'Working with industry in this way is one of the most satisfying things we can do.'

Dr Finn is currently working on an industry liaison project with Textor nonwovens manufacturer.

Find out more about our Nonwoven textile research facilities at Geelong, Victoria.