Dr Alan Fernyhough

Senior Scientist (Polymers), and Team Leader (Biopolymer & Green Chemical Technologies)

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About

Alan has 30 years of experience in the synthesis, characterisation, formulation and processing of polymers. Originally from the UK, he worked for 18 years in the polymer industry (BP; Kobe Steel) developing high performance products. Since joining Scion in 2002, Alan has focused on bioplastics, biobased additives, thermoset bioresins, biopolymer foams, and fibre composites.  

 

Qualifications

PhD (Polymer Chemistry/Polymer Science), University of Liverpool, United Kingdom –1983
BSc (Hons) (Chemistry), University of Liverpool, United Kingdom -1980
18 years (1983-2002) in polymer industry (BP; Kobe Steel) prior to joining Scion (2002)

Research capabilities

  • Polymer Technologies: synthesis, characterisation, production, formulation and processing, end applications and recycling of polymers, especially for plastics, composites, foams, fibres, adhesives and coatings.
  • Precursor or monomer synthesis and production.
  • Industrial, non-food applications of biological resources and of biomass residues/wastes in chemicals, polymers, additives, new materials, formulations and processed products for polymer industries (adhesives, coatings, plastics, foams, fibres and composites).
  • Green chemistry and clean processing for polymers, biopolymers and chemicals and their end applications.
  • Bioplastics technologies : syntheses,  modification, additives, compounding, processing and reactive processing, for advanced performance in bioplastics  (films, extrusion, compounding,  injection moulding, thermoforming, foaming processes etc);
  • Bioresins  and Biofoams - biobased resins,  components and processes for thermoset resins, and for biopolymer foams.
  • Recycling of polymers, biopolymers and other materials.
  • Composites technologies – long fibre technologies for wood and natural fibre based thermoplastics and thermosets, including biobased options.

Career highlights

  • “Best Innovation Award: Bioplastics”– for Novel Biofoam Technology  - Munich, December 2008 (European Bioplastics  Assocn.) - 2008
  • Finalist at the Bayer Innovators Awards (NZ) for work on modified bioplastics – 2008
  • Kobe  Steel Ltd Technology Silver Awards for (a) flame retardant high performance plastic compounds for thin wall injection mouldings, (b) high performance pultruded glass fibre composites.
  • Fellow Royal Society Chemistry (FRSC)

Example Recent Patents:

  • WO2011002314:  Method For Producing Wood Fibre-Plastics Composite Products
  • WO2007073218:  Method For Producing Wood Fibre Composite Products 
  • WO2006001717:  Method For Producing Wood Fibre Pellets
  • WO9637901:       Water Swellable Compositions     WO 1996/037901
  • WO9637900:       Water Swellable Compositions   WO 1996/037900
  • US6448316, JP11199768:  Flame retardant polycarbonate-styrene (or acrylate) polymers, and/or copolymers and/or graft polymer/copolymer mixtures
  • US5935508,  EP0822056, JP10113925:  Fibre-reinforced compositions and methods for their production  
  • US5700417:     Pultrusion process for preparing fiber-reinforced composite rod
  • EP0202782:     Process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer composition.  

Selected papers

Sawpan, M.A.  Pickering, K.L.  Fernyhough, A.  (Article in Press) Flexural properties of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites. Composites Part A: App. Sci. &  Manuf. Available online 3 December 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2011.

Van de Pas, D.,  Hickson, A., Donaldson,L., Lloyd-Jones,G., Tamminen,T., Fernyhough,A., Mattinen,M.L. Characterization of fractionated lignins polymerized by fungal laccases.  BioResources, Vol 6, No 2,1105-1121. (2011)

Pickering, K.L., Sawpan, M.A., Jayaraman, J., Fernyhough, A. Influence of loading rate, alkali fibre treatment and crystallinity on fracture toughness of random short hemp fibre reinforced polylactide bio- composites. Composites Part A: Appl..Sci  & Manuf. 42  (9), pp. 1148-1156 (2011). 

Sawpan,M.A., Pickering,K.L., Fernyhough,A.  Effect of various chemical treatments on the fibre structure and tensile properties of industrial hemp fibres. Composites Part A: App. Sci.& Manuf. 42 (8), pp 888-895 (2011).

Sawpan,M.A. , Pickering,K.L., Fernyhough, A. Improvement of mechanical performance of industrial hemp fibre reinforced polylactide biocomposites.  Composites Part A: App. Sci. & Manuf. 42,(3),pp 310-319 (2011)

Parker,K., Garancher. J-P,  Shah. S., Fernyhough, A. Expanded polylactic acid - an eco-friendly alternative to polystyrene foam. J. Cell. Plast. May 2011 vol. 47 no. 3 233-243. (2011)

Sawpan,M.A., Pickering, K.L., Fernyhough,A.  Effect of fibre treatments on interfacial shear strength of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites  Comp. A: App. Sci.&  Manuf 42 (9), pp. 1189-1196  (2011).

Umer,R.,  Bickerton,S., Fernyhough,A. The effect of yarn length and diameter on permeability and compaction response of flax fibre mats  Composites Part A: App. Sci & Manu.,42 ( 7), pp 723-732 (2011).

Sawpan, M.A.; Pickering, KL; Fernyhough, A  (2009).  Characterisation of hemp fibre reinforced Poly(Lactic Acid) composites. Int. J. Mat & Prod Tech 36, 1-4, pp 229-240  

Umer, R., Bickerton, S., Fernyhough, A.  (2008) Modelling the application of wood fibre reinforcements within liquid composite moulding processes. Composites Part A: App. Sci & Manu.,39,4, 624-639

Osman, A.M., Wong, K.K.Y., Fernyhough, A.  (2007). The laccase/ABTS system oxidizes (+)-catechin to oligomeric products. Enzyme & Microb Tech 40(5), 1272-1279 

Fernyhough, A. Technologies For Making Bioplastic Products From Biomass Waste Streams.  Bioplastics Magazine, 2008-04 (2008). Michael Thielen Publishers.

Fernyhough, A. Advancing Bioplastics from Down-under. Bioplastics Magazine, 2007-01,: Michael Thielen Publishers, March 2007.

Fernyhough, A., Stuthridge,T, Bioplastics from waste: From Waste To Gold. Bioplastics Magazine, 2007-04. : Michael Thielen Publishers, December 2007

Umer, R., Bickerton, S., Fernyhough, A.  (2007). Characterising wood fibre mats as reinforcements for liquid composite moulding processes    Composites Part A: App. Sci & Manuf. 38 (2), pp. 434-448 

Weal, S; Anderson, S; Anderson, R,  Fernyhough A. et al (2007) Environmentally intelligent biocomposites. Advanced Materials And Processing IV   29-30, pp 255-258 

Osman, A.M., Wong, K.K.Y., Fernyhough, A. (2006) ABTS radical-driven oxidation of polyphenols: Isolation and structural elucidation of covalent adducts. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 346, (1),  pp 321-329

Osman, A.M., Wong, K.K.Y., Hill, S.J., Fernyhough, A. (2006).Isolation and the characterization of the degradation products of the mediator ABTS-derived radicals formed upon reaction with polyphenols. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 340 (2), pp. 597-603

Fernyhough, A., Markotsis, M. Long Biofibres & Engineered Pulps for High Performance Bioplastics & Biocomposites,  Book Chapter in Handbook of Bioplastics Engineering Applications (Wiley-Scrivener, 2011) Srikanth Pilla (Editor): Chapter 26:

Parker, K. Garancher, J-P.,  Shah,S.,  Weal,S.  and Fernyhough, A.  Polylactic Acid (PLA) Foams for Packaging Applications Book Chapter in Handbook of Bioplastics Engineering Applications (Wiley-Scrivener, 2011) Srikanth Pilla (Editor): Chapter 5: