AKRON—The ACS Rubber Division is gearing up for its September courses and webinar offerings.
Webinars are free for Rubber Division members and $99 for non-members. Upcoming topics are:
- Sept. 2—How to Extend the Lifetime of Elastomers in Rubber Products
- Sept. 17—High Performance Elastomers in Automotive Under-Hood Applications
- Sept. 24—Sales & Marketing 101 in the Rubber Industry.
Richard Spontak, a distinguished professor at North Carolina State University, will lead the first September course, set for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 18.
Titled Electroelastomers: Applications, Principles and Opportunities, the course is ideal for those in the rubber industry who are seeking new technological strategies, the Rubber Division said.
"By providing examples of contemporary applications, electromechanical principles and emerging opportunities, this is the perfect course for the non-technical individual who would like to learn more about an important class of stimuli-responsive elastomers for tomorrow's technologies."
Topics covered in the session include:
- Introduction to stimuli-responsive polymers;
- Classifications of electroactive polymers;
- Comparisons of electroactive media;
- Uses of dielectric elastomers (electroelastomers);
- Electromechanics of electroelastomers;
- Materials design of electroelastomers;
- Testing methods of electroelastomers; and
- Advances in electroelastomer performance.
The cost for the course is $195 for members and $295 for nonmembers. There is no charge for student members.
The second course, led by Denise Kotz of Stratgeic Realm Consulting L.L.C., will explore Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management in the Rubber Industry. First offered in the July, the course is being offered a second time after receiving positive feedback and requests from participants.
Set for 1-5 p.m. Sept. 22, this course is designed for managers or technical personnel working in the rubber industry. It focuses on risk, such as global regulatory compliance and trade secrets, and offers insight into "how a good product stewardship program can help to mitigate risks."
The course explores:
- Global Regulatory Compliance with an emphasis on U.S. regulations;
- Product Stewardship definitions, developing a product trail, responding to compliance questionnaires and responsible communication;
- Sustainability, circular economy, and environmental management principles; and
- Trade Secret Protection through use of patents and observations of red flag behaviors.
The cost is $150 for members, $250 for non-members. Student members may participate free of charge.
To learn more about these educational opportunities and upcoming events, or to get more information about the Rubber Division, visit rubber.org.