Associate Professor Kim Pickering

Qualifications: BSc(Eng) Hons, Materials Science, Imperial College London. PhD, Surrey; MIMMM, FIPENZ

Contact Details

Research Interests

• Modelling/Predicting Composite Failure
• Composite Processing
• Repair of composite structures
• Chemical stability of composite materials
• Natural fibre composites
• Composite damping – using magnetic and viscous mechanisms

The best mechanical properties for any materials are achieved with a selection of materials in fibrous form. It therefore makes sense to incorporate these fibres within other materials (i.e. produce a composite material) to enable fibres to be used in structures. In addition, modification of mechanical and physical properties can also be made using particulates. The combination of multiple constituent materials to produce a single material leads to increased complexity in behavioural terms compared to conventional engineering materials, and this leads to challenges in their engineering. However, many examples of their use, Black Magic and Brittan's bike to name two close to home, have demonstrated that the challenge is well worth it.

Currently, however, as relatively new materials, advanced composites pay penalties compared to conventional engineering materials in the requirement for much more conservative design. Increased knowledge of their long-term behaviour will improve this and increase their efficiency along with improving mass production techniques. As this occurs, composites will increasingly replace conventional engineering materials to give improved performance. Furthermore, technology learnt with advanced composites, commonly the regime of carbon fibre, can be applied to other composite materials including glass fibre and natural fibre based composites. Such work at Waikato University has focussed on tailoring properties of composites through fibre treatment and interfacial engineering. In addition, research has involved development of polymer matrices from bioderivable materials including a thermoplastic based on corn gluten meal and a thermoset based on glycerol. With New Zealand's resources of wood and other natural fibres, there is great potential to tap into composite design and process technology to produce improved cost efficient structural materials.  

Students Supervised

PhD Students

• Carmen Viljoen, “Development of a bioderived unsaturated polyester resin for use in the composites industry”, 2011
• Maggie (Yan) Li, “Processing of hemp fibre using enzyme/fungal treatment for composites”, 2009
• Moyeen Sawpan, “Mechanical performance of industrial hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites”, 2009
• Saiful Islam, “The influence of fibre processing and treatments on hemp fibre/epoxy and hemp fibre/PLA composites”, 2008
• Dalour Beg, “The improvement of interfacial bonding, weathering and recycling of wood fibre reinforced polypropylene composites”, 2007
• Ali Ismail, “Preformulation and formulation of steroids and assessment of an electronically modulated intravaginal device for induced calving or oestrous synchronization of cattle”, 2006
• Gareth Beckermann, “ The processing, production and improvement of hemp-fibre reinforced polypropylene composite materials”, 2004
• Colin Ogle, “Design, development and optimisation of veterinary intravaginal controlled release drug delivery systems”, 1999

MPhil Students

• David Joy, “An investigation of environmental variables in the "hot-stacking" process for medium density fibreboard panels”, 2003

MSc Students

• Liviu Armeanu, “Analysis of bonded joints for small craft and marine applications”, 2010
• Jeevan Jayaraman, “The effect of heat treatment on the structure and properties of hemp/PLA composites”, 2010
• Nicholas Maarhuis, “Development of reaction injection moulded polyurethane foam including assessment of densification and reinforcement for use as a structural core in rotationally moulded products”, 2008 
• Paul Betschart, “Strengthening rotationally moulded products: development of a rotomouldable thermoplastic composite”, 2008 
• Maggie Li, “Fungi and alkali treated hemp fibre for reinforcement in composites”, 2006
• Stephanie Weal, “Processing and mechanical properties of corn based wood reinforced composites”, 2005
• Neamul Alam, “The characterisation of natural fibres and their interfacial and composite properties”, 2004 
• Gareth Beckermann, “The processing, production and improvement of hemp-fibre reinforced polypropylene composite materials”, 2004
• Michael La Franchie, “The optimisation of rotationally moulded polyester matrix composites”, 2004
• Chen (James) Ji, “The effect of coupling agents on wood fibre reinforced polymer composites (WFPC), 2002
• Simon Burton, “Improvement of pultruded optic fibre cable strength members”, 2003
• Conrad Lendrum, “The optimisation of pultruded polymer matrix composites : utilising statistical experimental design and fracture mechanics”, 2001
• Xiaoxia (Lorna) Luo, “Processing of Al-Al2O3 metal matrix composites using a powder metallurgy approach”, 2001
• Pieter Smilde, “Modified unleaded fuel resistance of unsaturated polyester laminating resins”, 2000
• Tracy Murray, ”Sandwich composite boards for furniture construction”, 1999
• Russell Cross, “Stress analysis of adhesively bonded joints”, 1998
• John Davidson, “Failure analysis of carbon fibres”, 1998
  

Teaching Commitments

Expertise

Composite materials and materials technology; optimisation of advanced composite properties; failure mechanisms of composite materials; effect of fibre surface treatment, matrix modification, processing variables and environment on properties of composite materials; electronic interconnect technology.

Recent Publications

• Pickering, K., Verbeek, C., Viljoen, C. (2012) The effect of aqueous urea on the processing, structure and properties of CGM
  Refereed Journal Articles - Journal of Polymers and the Environment
• Sawpan, M., Pickering, K., Fernyhough, A. (2011) Flexural properties of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites
  Refereed Journal Articles - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
• Gazawi, A., Zhang, D., Pickering, K., Mukhtar, A. (2011) Microstructure and mechanical behaviour of ultrafine grained AI-4wt%Cu-(2.5-10) vol.% SiC metal matrix composites produced by powder compact forging
  Refereed Journal Articles - Advanced Materials Research
• Sawpan, M., Pickering, K., Fernyhough, A. (2011) Effect of fibre treatments on interfacial shear strength of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites
  Refereed Journal Articles - Composites: Part A

View All research publications by Kim Pickering

Science & Engineering - Creating the Future!