Conference covers nanopolymers in industry

A new international conference on Nanopolymers will take place in Berlin on 12th and 13th June 2007.

Rapra Technology has announced dates for a new international conference on Nanopolymers taking place in Berlin on 12th and 13th June 2007.

This inaugural conference will provide up to the minute data on the rapid growth of nanopolymers and will demonstrate, via a range of case studies, their use in different industry sectors.

The use of nanopolymer compounds in commercial applications is gaining momentum and global demand for nanomaterials is predicted to reach US $3.7 billion by 2008.

Behind much of the hype surrounding nanopolymers is a real opportunity for companies to produce superior, sustainable materials faster, cheaper and more efficiently.

New approaches in the synthesis, characterisation and commercial application of nanopolymers will be discussed at this conference.

The conference will open with presentations from Lux Research and Bayer Material Science examining the market opportunities for nanopolymers and their value chain from nanomaterials via nano-intermediates to nano-enabled products and systems.

Dr Peter Kruger, Head of the Bayer Working Group Nanotechnology, will discuss the growth areas within Bayer with respect to material and life sciences.

There follows a number of papers on processing improvements and nanoscale property enhancement including a presentation from Degussa describing how it is using robust scale up and scale down methodologies in the production of polymeric nanocomposites based on polyamides.

Arkema will demonstrate the various synthesis routes it has used to bring about the good dispersion and efficient use of carbon nanotubes, and VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland will give a paper on new porous hybrid polymer films for high temperature electromechanical applications.

Day two continues with a number of case studies highlighting specific applications of nanopolymers.

Presentations include an explanation from Pirelli Tyre which has developed rubber-clay nanocomposites to improve the mechanical properties of polymer matrices; Israel Plastics and Rubber Centre's use of nanoparticles for hydrophobic and self cleaning coatings; and the University of Cambridge's development of high performance gas sensors using single-walled carbon nanotubes, polymers and composite materials.

A representative from the PolyCond Consortium will also present the research being conducted by this part-funded European Commission project to develop conductive plastic composites that are eco-friendly, cost effective and of high added value.

The presentation will specifically address the use of conductive carbon nanotubes as filler in a nonconducting polymeric matrix.

All registrations made before 12th April will receive a Eur 200 discount off the full conference fee.

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