Speciality elastomers conference set for Geneva

Rapra Technology's High Performance and Speciality Elastomers Conference is set to give the sector a timely and innovative boost when it takes place in Geneva on 20th and 21st April 2005.

Rapra Technology's High Performance and Speciality Elastomers Conference is set to give the sector a timely and innovative boost when it takes place in Geneva on 20th and 21st April 2005.

This year's conference is particularly strong on fluroelastomer developments and also features a high number of presentations based on end-use applications.

Rapra's own paper will focus on the sensitive area of rubber-based analysis in the food contact and pharmaceutical areas of the market.

Particular emphasis will be given to developing role of Rapra's new suite of equipment in gas-chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS).

Rapra Materials Analyst Dr Martin Forrest comments: "A full characterisation of the low molecular weight species present in rubber compounds is becoming increasing necessary due to the requirements of the food and pharmaceutical industry; is important for occupational health and environmental concerns; and assists in analytical exercises such as reverse engineering for the support of R and D activities".

"The range of low molecular weight components in rubber is complex and will include monomers and oligomers, manufacturing impurities and artifacts within compound additives, the additives (eg process aids, antidegradants and cure system species) themselves, as well as breakdown products from curatives and antidegradants".

Forrest adds: "Gas-chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) has been the analytical tool of choice for this type of investigative work for over 30 years".

"It separates the components species that are present in a complex mixture and then identifies them via their mass spectra".

"The recent advent of two-dimensional gas chromatography (ie GCxGC) associated with mass spectroscopy (referred to as GCxGC TOF-MS) has provided as at Rapra with a quantum step improvement in the resolving power available and it is now possible to identify and quantify compounds that were masked by other compounds".

Conference organiser Dr Sally Humphreys says: "This is a unique chance to hear about all the leading edge developments in high performance rubbers".

"All job descriptions in the rubber industry - its suppliers and customers - including product designers, processors, materials specialists and engineers are welcome".

Early booking is advised.

And for the gastronomically minded Viton is sponsoring a free fondue-based traditional Swiss meal on the first day of the event.

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