Current Interests

Bill is currently working on a project aimed at developing optical techniques for measuring particle loading and dispersion for in-situ inspection of PNCs, as well as a project on evaluating electrical self-sensing of damage and deformation in conventional composites and composites containing electro-conductive nanoparticulates (i.e. carbon nanotubes and nanographene).

Biography

Dr Bill Broughton graduated with a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1990 where his thesis was on shear properties of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics. He obtained a BSc (with Distinction) and MSc in Applied Physics at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Victoria, Australia). Bill has 30 years of research experience in polymer matrix composites, adhesives and polymer technology, including 21 years at NPL, where he leads research on polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), fatigue/environmental durability and non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of composite materials and structures. Previous positions include Group Leader for Electrochemistry and Surface Engineering, and Biomaterials, Polymeric and Composite Materials at NPL, as well as previously being Technical Area Research Leader for the Polymer Composites Group.

Bill is the current Chairman of VAMAS TWA5: Polymer Composites and a consultant on energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy chemical analysis for VAMAS TWA33: PNCs, and also a member of IoM³ committees for adhesives and composites, and various national and international organising committees for composites and adhesives. He lectures at Imperial College and is the external examiner for MSc Advanced Materials at the University of Surrey. Bill has authored over 150 reports, papers and book chapters. His expertise includes mechanical, thermal and electrical testing and analysis of polymer composites and adhesives, adhesive bonding and repair technology, and durability (creep, fatigue and environmental) of polymers, composites and bonded/bolted joints.

Selected Publications

• Influence of Coupling-Agents on Material Behaviour of Glass Flake reinforced Polypropylene
  Broughton, W.R., Lodeiro, M.J. and Pilkington, G.D.
  Composites Part A, 41, pages 506-514 (2010)
• Assessment of Quasi-Static and Fatigue Loaded Notched GRP Laminates Using Digital Image Correlation
  Broughton, W.R., Gower, M.R.L., Lodeiro, M.J., Pilkington, G.D. and Shaw, R.M.
  Applied Mechanics and Materials, 24-25, pages 407-412 (2010)
• Good Practice Guide for the Generation and Assessment of Fatigue Data for Fibre-Reinforced Plastics
  Broughton, W.R., Gower, M.R.L., Lodeiro, M.J. and Shaw, R.M.
  NPL Measurement Good Practice Guide No. 115 (2010)
• Characterization of Solid Complex Multiphase Systems Based on Oscillatory Photon Correlation Spectroscopy
  Koukoulas, T., Broughton, W.R., Theobald, P.D. and Tedaldi, M.
  Optics Letters, 35 (22), pages 3754-3756 (2010) – nominated for NPL Raleigh and Rutherford awards
• Characterization of Solid Complex Multiphase Systems Based on Oscillatory Photon Correlation Spectroscopy
  Koukoulas, T., Broughton, W.R., Theobald, P.D. and Tedaldi, M.
  Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 22 (14) (2011)
• Clays for Polymeric Nanocomposites
  Utracki, L.A., Broughton, W., Gonzalez Rojano, N., Hecker de Carvalho, L. and Achete, C.A.
  Polymer Engineering and Science, 51 (3), pages 559-572 (2011)
• A Novel Method of Determining Residual Stress Distributions in Plates using the Incremental Slitting Technique
  Roberts, S.J., McCartney, L.N. and Broughton, W.R.
  Journal of Strain Analysis for Engineering Design (Institution of Mechanical Engineering), 4, pages 280-297 (2011)
• An Experimental Assessment of Open-Hole Tension-Tension Fatigue Behaviour of a GFRP Laminate
  Broughton, W.R., Gower, M.R.L., Lodeiro, M.J., Pilkington, G.D., Shaw, R.M.
  Composites A, 42, pages 1310-1320 (2011)
• The Use of the Peak Force Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping AFM-Based Method for High-Resolution Elastic Modulus Measurement of Polymers
  Young, T.J., Monclus, M.A, Burnett, T.L., Broughton, W.R., Ogin, S.L. and Smith, P.A.
  Measurement Science and Technology, 22 (2011)
• Observations on Interphase Characterisation in Polymer Composites by Nano-scale Indentation and the Use of AFM Cantilever Torsion to Identify Measurement Artefacts
  Young, T.J., Monclus, M.A., Broughton, W.R., Ogin, S.L. and Smith, P.A.
  Accepted by Plastics, Rubber and Composites

Conferences

• Assessment of Quasi-Static and Fatigue Loaded Notched GRP Laminates Using Digital Image Correlation
  Broughton, W.R., Gower, M.R.L., Lodeiro, M.J., Pilkington, G.D. and Shaw, R.M.
  7th BSSM Conference on Advances in Experimental Mechanics, Department of Engineering, University of Liverpool, UK, 7-9 September 2010
• Metrology Challenges for Composites and Nanocomposites
  Broughton, W.R. and Gower, M.R.L.
  Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK, 19 January 2011
• Experimental Determination of Key Parameters for Modelling the Tensile and Compressive Fatigue Behaviour of Notched GRP Laminates
  Broughton, W.R., Gower, M.R.L., Lodeiro, M.J., Pilkington, G.D. and Shaw, R.M.
  5th International Conference on Composites Testing and Model Simulation, EPFL, Lausanne, 14-16 February 2011
• Adhesive Qualification for Extreme Environments: Standards and Test Methods
  Broughton, W.R.
  Society of Adhesion and Adhesives Spring Seminar 'Adhesives in Extreme Environments', Society of Chemical Industry, 15 Belgrave Square, London, 7 April 2011
• Novel Non-contact Optical Characterisation Methods of Polymeric Nanocomposite Structures Based on their Particle Loading and Dispersion Profile
  Koukoulas, T., Broughton, W.R., Theobald, P.D. and Tedaldi, M.
  Proceedings of the Society of Photo-Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Optical Metrology 2011 Conference on 'Optical Measurement Systems for Industrial Inspection EOM01', Volume 8082 808220-1, 23-27 May 2011, Munich, Germany

Contact details

E-mail: bill.broughton@npl.co.uk
Tel: 020 8943 6834