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The 8th annual International Latex Conference helped industry professionals broaden their focus in all areas of responsibility in regard to processing with synthetic and natural latex. The 17 papers presented provided a unique opportunity to understand the many factors that contribute to a successful operation.
The Synthetic and Natural Latex interactive panel discussions and Q&A once again provided each delegate with a resource to get answers to a variety of problems.
To better understand the value of attending the next conference, here is a summary of the papers presented at the 2005 conference:
- A paper from Colleen McMahan, Ph.D. with the United States Department of Agriculture on how comparison of uncompounded lattices showed significant differences in the rheological behavior of the purified latex films.
- A paper presented by Frank J. Beafore at Latex Foam International that concentrated on the evolution of foamed rubber, addressed the technologies that influenced its growth, and discussed today's state-of-the-art.
- An overview from Hidde Smit, Ph.D. with the International Rubber Study Group on the broad trends in production, consumption, trade and prices in the natural rubber latex (NRL) segment of the rubber industry at the national, regional and global level.
- Forecast trends in energy prices, their impact, and other market trends in each of the major synthetic latex monomers and answers to the question how long will commodity prices stay high from William Hyde, with Chemical Market Associates Inc.
- Dane Parker demonstrated how Goodyear has developed a method that enables the simple two-step synthesis of S-I-S latex by controlled free radical (CFR) emulsion polymerization.
- George Handley from Omnova Solutions highlighted key tests such as delamination, LOI, radiant panel and pill test, and then presented a unique analytical method that allows the calculation of the latex-to-filler(s) ratio of compound in his paper on Fire Retardency Tests For Latex Adhesive Backed Carpets
- Vijay R. Srinivas, Ph.D. of Arkema presented strategies involving the use of chain transfer agents-mercaptans in particular, for improving thermal stability of the polymers, increasing branching, and providing enhanced cross-linking.
- A paper by Mark Sellers of Tiarco Chemical Primary showing how antioxidant emulsions, predominantly consisting of phenolics, have been widely used to improve the degradation of polymeric systems. And how these emulsions can be successfully improved through the incorporation of synergists with the primary antioxidant.
- Keith Woodason from Dow Chemical will present an overview of combustion theory and resistance mechanisms, review the current state of ignition resistance technology used in the carpet industry, and highlight the development of a high solids, inherently in ignition resistant latex.
- Koichi Takamura, Ph.D. from BASF showed how SBR Latex can be used to absorb external stresses without causing fractures to brittle bitumen droplets at low temperature, thus enhancing the fatigue resistance of the asphalt pavement.
- Polymer films prepared from coalescing latex polymers often have the disadvantage of being water-sensitive. The two main reasons for the water-sensitivity were reviewed by Jan Spitzer, Ph.D. from Mallard Creek Polymers, including drying of latex films from functionalized styrene-butadiene latexes, styrene-acrylic latexes, acrylic latexes, and natural rubber.
- Fung Bor Chen, Ph.D. from Medline Industries reviewed a synthetic latex that has no life-threatening Type I allergen associated with natural rubber latex protein. He showed how it is synthetic latex chemically similar to natural rubber latex and contains a very low level of non-polyisoprene constituents.
- If you had concerns related to the use of conventional rubber accelerators in various latex applications, Roger Couchman at Robinson Brothers Limited showed how to eliminate those concerns associated with conventional dithiocarbamates and Thiuram.
- The Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia presented a study where the electron microscopy technique was used to differentiate between the natural rubber particles and the artificially formed rubber particles prepared from dried latex material. The artificial rubber particles appeared to be morphologically similar to the particles of natural rubber, but the sizes of the of the artuificial rubber particles varied greatly.
- Carrie Webster from R.T. Vanderbilt made a presentation on using organic peroxides in open-air systems to cure latex articles.
- Yulex Corporation is currently commercializing the production of a high performance natural rubber latex for use in medical products that are non-allergenic to Hevea latex protein-sensitized individuals. Katrina Cornish, Ph.D., demonstrated how this impacts Type I latex allergic individuals.
- Estimates run as high as 30% of healthcare workers being affected by latex allergies due to the various targeted proteins within a relatively short range of rubber elongation factors. William Doyle from Vystar Corporation demonstrated a novel, patented method for the deactivation of the allergenic proteins in liquid natural rubber latex that involves the quasisequestration of these proteins.
Click here to see the paper abstracts that were presented at the 2005 event from world-renowned latex experts.
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A limited quantity of 2005 International Latex Conference Papers CD is available. Price is $500 ($80 for conference delegates) which includes postage/handling. To order or receive a faxed order form, please contact cstevens@crain.com. |
Information on the next International Latex Conference will be available soon. Please check back periodically on the conference web site for more information or complete the form below to be added to our mailing list.
If you are interested in presenting a paper at the next event, please contact Jim Finn, Conference Chairman, at jimfinn@akrondispersions.com.
If you are interested in exhibiting at the next conference or sponsoring an event, please contact Don Sector at 330-865-6107,dsector@crain.com
TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONFERENCE, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING FORM:
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