New Approaches to Non-Flammable Polymer Materials and Composites by Prof. E. Bryan Coughlin, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Description:
Webinar
New Approaches to Non-Flammable Polymer Materials and Composites
Prof. E. Bryan Coughlin
Polymer Science and Engineering Department
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Thursday, May 12, Webinar at 6:00 PM Pacific time
Abstract:
The hydrocarbon-rich composition of many classes of high volume polymers, such as polyolefins, polyurethanes, and polyesters, makes them highly flammable and poorly suited for installation in confined environments from which rapid egress during a fire would be difficult. Flame retardants, generally in the form of molecular additives, are blended with polymers to produce finished materials that achieve acceptable performance in flammability tests. Such flame retardants typically consist of halogenated molecules (i.e., bromine and/or chlorine-containing) or inorganic salts. Halogenated molecules are problematic from the standpoint of toxicity and associated legislation restrictions, while inorganic additives require high weight percent loadings that compromise the physical properties of polymers. The drawbacks to each of these additive approaches are thus significant and drive the discovery of polymers that are inherently flame retardant due to their mechanism of degradation. Moreover, the polymers generated should have processing characteristics and mechanical properties that make them suitable for further evaluation as materials suitable for a variety of application. Several new classes of patented halogen-free materials have been synthesized and tested that exceed the stringent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) objectives in terms of flammability, and afford some of the lowest measured heat release rates of any hydrocarbon polymers ever made produced. Past accomplishments have yielded impactful results.* Progress toward further advancing fire-safe materials will be presented.
* “How advanced plastics saved lives on Asiana Flight 214” Plastics Today July 9, 2013
Speaker Background:
E. Bryan Coughlin studied chemistry at Grinnell College, and received his B. A. in 1988. Upon the completion of his Doctorate in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1993 under the direction of John Bercaw, he joined the Central Research and Development Department of the DuPont Company in Wilmington Delaware. He is a co-inventor of the DuPont's Versipol® Polyolefin Technology Platform, and has over 40 patents to his name. Since 1999 Dr. Coughlin has been on the Faculty of the Polymer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he is currently a Full Professor. He has won a number of research awards including the NSF CAREER award, 3M non-tenured faculty award, and DuPont Young Faculty Award, among others. In 2018 he was elected a Fellow of the American Chemical Society. His research interests are broad and cover aspects of synthetic polymer chemistry and material characterization studies of polymers for use in fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, light harvesting polymer for organic photovoltaics, functional hybrid materials, and fire-safe polymers.
EVENT DATE: Thursday, May 12
Registration requested by: Wednesday, May 11, 1:00 PM.
Registration may close earlier than the nominal deadline if capacity is reached.
This event will be FREE OF CHARGE, but we still require you to fill out the registration form. In particular, we need to have your name and email address for you to be able to participate. Please provide affiliation also if you can, as it helps us judge audience interests.
If you can spare a small amount, GGPF requests an optional donation of $5 (or more) but this is not required to register and attend the webinar.
To register for free, use the pull-down toggle to select "All registrants ($0.00)" choice.
To donate, use the pull down toggle to select "GGPF donation ($5.00)". This will direct you to a link where you can use PayPal or any credit or debit card. For larger donations, use the "Donate to GGPF" link on the front page GGPF.org
Webinar Timing: 6:00 PM.
(Zoom meeting room will open earlier)
Attendees who complete the registration form will receive information by email for how to participate. It is requested that people join the meeting invitation well before 6:00 to avoid delays.
Registrants will receive the information needed to join the webinar within a day of the event in an email from “events@ggpf.org” To be certain of seeing the note, please add events@ggpf.org to your safe mail senders list, and/or look in your spam, updates, or other mailbox locations in addition to your primary In Box.
Please register on the web page.
You should receive email confirmation of your registration; if not, please contact us again.
Do not reply to email from events@ggpf.org
For questions or other assistance, contact:
Lothar Kleiner
lothar_kleiner@hotmail.com
Attendees will be added to the GGPF email announcements list unless they request otherwise.
LOCATION:
Anywhere you want, or anywhere you are busy socially distancing, sheltering in place, working, or waiting it all out. Good luck!
We are sorry but registration for this event is now closed.
Please contact us if you would like to know if spaces are still available.
