48280-SE
Engineered Polymeric Materials, at the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting (MARM 2008), May 17-21, 2008, Bayside, NY
Report on the Polymer Symposium at the MARM 2008
The CSI-based Center for Engineered Polymeric Materials (CEPM), a NYSTAR funded Center for College Applied Research & Technology, sponsored and organized a two-day symposium on Engineered Polymeric Materials at the American Chemical Society Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting 2008. An ACS-PRF grant provided travel reimbursement for two international plenary speakers.On May 19th and 20th, 31 lectures and 23 poster presentations discussed results from current research on various frontiers in polymer science and technology. Eight international and national leaders in the field highlighted areas of current focus in extended plenary sessions. These plenary lecturers included 2 White House Presidential Green Chemistry Award recipients, 2 members of the US Academy of Engineering and 3 editors of leading professional journals of the American Chemical Society. Presentations from the City University of New York included seven talks contributed by The College of Staten Island (CSI), 2 by Hunter College, and 1 by The City College of New York. Throughout the two days, the Symposium, was attended on average by well over 50 participants in the auditorium. This represents an outstanding performance by any measure for a scientific meeting. Attendees were surveyed and included scientists from industry, academia and government laboratories, as well as graduate and undergraduate students. Industrial participants included representatives from Pall, IBM, Sun Chemical, Alchemetal, and Starfire Systems.
Major themes of focus in the general presentations included nano-structured materials, composites for sensory applications and controlled drug delivery, renewable green materials, electro-optical polymers, high-performance materials for space applications, and polymers for toxin remediation in waste water. In addressing the major current research challenges, all presentations highlighted the multi-disciplinary nature of polymer science in particular, while drawing on findings from chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, and their various sub disciplines.
The plenary lecturers included: Professors S. Alexandratos, CUNY Hunter College; J. DeSimone, University of North Carolina; L. Interante, RPI and NYS Center for Polymer Synthesis; I. Manners, University of Bristol, UK; K. Matyjaszewki, Carnegie Mellon University; J. Moore, RPI and NYS Center for Polymer Synthesis; M. Rafailovich, SUNY Stonybrook and MRSEC Center; M. Wagner of Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat, Frankfurt, Germany; A. Karim, NIST.
Professor DeSimone spoke on his imprint lithographic technique called PRINT (Particle Replication In Non-wetting Templates) which allows the production of monodisperse shape-specific nanoparticles and selected approaches to drug delivery. Professor Alexandratos presented his work on customizing polymer-support resins with ion-selective ligands that can be used to remove and recover toxic metal ions from water in the environment (Examples arsenic and uranium). Professor Interante reported a his precursor materials for SiC that is being produced and used commercially to fabricate ceramic composites for friction materials (e.g. brakes), for an emergency shuttle repair kit for the US space program, as well as a variety of low-k materials for integrated circuits. Professor Manners discussed poly(metallocene)s, metal containing polymers with controlled architectures (block copolymers) that are available through living polymerizations. Professor Matyjaszewski presented his group’s newest results on a specialized ATRP polymerization system involving a new copper catalyst, with excellent control of the polymer and its architectures. Many high-tech specialty application areas were highlighted. Professor Moore discussed his work on converting the waste product from cellulose manufacturing to a useful monomer for polyesters, polyamides and polycarbonates, with potential for a major impact in useful waste removal in NY State. Professor Refailovich described results from her work on using nanoparticles to render polymer blends flame retardant. The presence of clay nanoparticles prevents phase segregation in the flame and maintains the dispersal of the flame retardant agent in the phases producing low heat release rates. Professor Wagner presented his research on poly(ferrocenylene)s with three and four coordinate boron bridges. Dr. Karim discussed the use of guided assemblies of block copolymer thin films.
The symposium represents one of the yearly conferences organized by CePM for the purpose of bringing together representatives from industry, academia, and government, with the goal to facilitate technology exchange and ultimately to exert significant impact on New York State economy.
The CePM management consists of Nan-Loh Yang, Ralf M. Peetz, and Chwen-Yang Shew.
