Dr Tony Pierlot, Project Leader at CSIRO Textile & Fibre Technology.

Dr Tony Pierlot: from wool growing to wool science

Dr Tony Pierlot uses his knowledge of fibre chemistry to enhance natural fibre's competitive edge in the marketplace.

• 8 December 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Fibre Science and Engineering Research Program
• Background
• Past projects
• The future

Dr Tony Pierlot is a Project Leader for CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering's Fibre Science and Engineering Program.

Fibre Science and Engineering Research Program

The Research Program explores:

• fibre science to understand the structure, properties and behaviour of natural fibres, such as wool, cotton and wood
• modification of fibre properties
• fibre processing efficiencies
• environmentally sustainable fibre production and processing
• high performance composites for innovative wood products
• advanced fibrous materials and composites of products for high-performance clothing, medical, military, building, automotive and aeronautics markets.

Background

Growing up on a sheep farm, Dr Pierlot has first-hand experience of the business of wool growing. This experience has driven his interest in applying chemistry and materials science to the wool industry.

For many years, Dr Pierlot has worked to develop chemical processes for use during the manufacture of wool textiles.

He has explored the chemical and physical structure of wool fibres and how these properties may be manipulated to improve the performance and desirability of wool products.

Past projects

Two of Dr Pierlot’s past project areas were:

• the application of nanotechnology to wool-containing textiles
• easy-care wool garments.

'Researchers who have explored the structure of the wool fibre have experienced one form of nature’s own nanotechnology,’ explains Dr Pierlot. ‘The wool fibre contains nanofibres with diameters of ten nanometres which are assembled into a complex hierarchical structure that gives wool its unique properties.’

Dr Pierlot applied developments in nanotechnology to modify the functional attributes of wool, for example water and stain repellence, and wrinkle recovery.

His team was also involved in developing technology for producing wool easy-care suits and other garments which can be machine washed and tumble dried, yet require only minimal ironing before wear.

This research followed Dr Pierlot’s work on the problem of ‘dry’ wrinkles - the wrinkles that occur as a garment is worn, not as a result of washing.

The future

Due to our multidisciplinary capability, we are uniquely placed to create new opportunities for Australia through:

• developing new ways of producing commercially viable fibres and fibrous structures
• developing high performance products that meet consumer expectations
• improving the chemical and physical properties of fibres for a range of industrial applications

• identifying and developing new technical applications for fibres to generate sustained demand for fibre-based products.

Read more about Fibre Science and Engineering Research Program overview.