Dr Kim Alderson
Professional biography:
Dr Kim Alderson received her BSc (Honours) in physics with materials science in 1986 and her Doctorate in impact of composite materials in 1990 from the University of Liverpool, UK. She has worked in the field of auxetic materials since 1989. She was a lecturer in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Liverpool prior to joining the University of Bolton in 1995 as a Research Fellow, where she is the co-leader of the Auxetic Materials research team and was the lead contact for the UK auxetic materials network. Kim has published 75 peer review journal and conference papers and has 9 patents and patent applications in the field of auxetics. Together with Ginny Simkins, who studied for a PhD at Bolton, she was a finalist in the British Female Inventor of the Year 2002 for the invention of auxetic fibres. She was the Theme Champion for Materials and Mechanisms at the Celebration of UK Engineering and Innovation in 2004. She is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College for 2003-present and has served on the Materials Prioritisation panel. Her work has been funded by EPSRC, TSB, EU, Nuffield Foundation, venture capitalists and industry. She is a Technical Advisor to Auxetic Technologies Limited.
Current research interests:
auxetic polymers – processing and testing
auxetic composites – processing and testing
composite processing and characterisation
Most recent publications: 2007-8
El Hadi Harkati, Bezazi A, Scarpa F, Alderson K and Alderson A:"Modelling the influence of the orientation and fibre reinforcement on the Negative Poisson's ratio in composite laminates", Phys. Stat. Sol. (b), 244(3) (2007) p883-892.
Alderson KL, Webber RS and Evans KE: "Microstructural evolution in the processing of auxetic polymers", Phys. Stat. Sol. (b), 244(3) (2007) p828-841.
Ravirala N, Alderson A and Alderson KL: "Interlocking hexagons model for auxetic behaviour", J. Mat. Sci., 42 (2007) p7433-7445.
Alderson KL, Alderson A, Davies PJ, Smart G, Ravirala N and Simkins G: "The effect of processing parameters on the mechanical properties of auxetic polymeric fibres", J. Mat. Sci., 42 (2007) p7991-
Alderson KL and Alderson A: "AUXETIC MATERIALS: Pulling the Boundaries to Expand Applications!", Material Inspirations, 3 (2007) p12-13.
Alderson A and Alderson KL: "Auxetic Materials", Proc. Instit. Mech. Eng., Part G, Journal of Aerospace Engineering,
Alderson K: "Positive Developments in Negative Materials", Materials World (December 2007) p2-4.
Simkins VR, Ravirala N, Davies PJ, Alderson A and Alderson KL: "An experimental study of thermal post-production processing of auxetic polypropylene fibres", Phys. Stat. Sol. (b), 245(3) (2008) p598-605.
Alderson KL and Coenen VL: "The low velocity impact response of auxetic carbon fibre laminates", Phys. Stat. Sol. (b), 245(3) (2008) p489-496.