wool – TechConnect Briefs

Composite Wool – Natural Product Antimicrobial Textiles

Aljohani S., Johnston J.H., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

Wool textile products are widely used in apparel, furnishings and floor coverings. They also find use in medical, and healthcare applications such as bandages and masks where unfortunately they can provide environment favourable for microbial [...]

Scale-up of Novel Gold Nanoparticle-Wool Fiber Composites: A Commercialisation Success Story

Nilsson T.W., Johnston J.H., Victoria University of Wellington and MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, NZ

The development of novel nanocomposites of metal nanoparticles and natural fibers has allowed the engineering of flexible materials with the desirable properties of metal nanoparticles for numerous applications. One class of novel nanocomposites uses gold [...]

Superhydrophobic and Superhydrophilic Surfaces

Herzog M.B., Johnston J.H., Franzreb M., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

A new generation of materials possessing a wide range of possible consumer applications such as water harvesting, stain resistant self-cleaning and water-repellent breathable surfaces are being fabricated. Based on nature’s example of the stenocara beetle, [...]

Making Nanoparticles Mega: Scaling-up the Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticle-Wool Fibre Composites

Nilsson T.W., Johnston J.H., Victoria University of Wellington and the MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials, NZ

Gold nanoparticles exhibit intense surface plasmon resonances in the visible region of light. This property allows them to be employed as stable colourants for fine New Zealand wool fibres. A novel proprietary approach for the [...]

New Fluorescent Hybrid Materials Comprising Quantum Dots, Organic Fluorophores and Natural Fibre Substrates

Zeller A.J., Johnston J.H., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

The nanotechnology research presented here deals with the development and characterisation of new fluorescent hybrid materials comprising quantum dots and organic fluorophores respectively with wool and paper fibres that exhibit tuneable optical fluorescence and electronic [...]

Characterization of palladium nanoparticles embedded in a wool substrate

Fonseca-Paris C., Johnston J.H., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

In the present paper we report the characterization of nanopalladium-wool fibre composites. Professor James Johnston and his research group at Victoria University of Wellington have developed a new methodology to reduce metal salts of palladium [...]

Silver Chloride – Wool Nanohybrid Materials: Synthesis and Properties

Johnston J.H., Kelly F.M., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

The development and characterisation of a new nanowool hybrid material formed by functionalising merino wool with silver chloride nanoparticles is presented. The nanoparticles are formed directly on the surface and inside the wool fibre. Initially [...]

Nanogold and Nanosilver Wool: New Products for High Value Fashion Apparel and Functional Textiles

Johnston J., Burridge K., Kelly F., Small A., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

ORAL We have developed a new proprietary nanotechnology and product suite of high value textiles involving the use of nanogold and nanosilver as colourants and functional components in wool. This innovatively links the high value [...]

Nanopalladium – Wool: A Novel Fibre for Multifunctional

Fonseca-Paris C., Johnston J.H., Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

The development of new functional textiles based on composite materials of natural fibres and nanomaterials have become of increasing interest within both academic and industrial sectors. The inherent properties of their all precursor components can [...]