FOAMS 2014, a conference, tutorial, and exhibition sponsored by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoplastic Materials & Foams Division, will be held September 8-11 in Iselin, New Jersey. "Polymer foams - both thermoplastics and thermosets - are a growing area as companies continue to look at lightweighting to improve sustainability," notes Maxwell Wingert, conference chair. "Attending this conference is crucial for those who need to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in foams."
A two-day tutorial on September 8-9 offers practical information on the development of new blowing agents, design of foam products, and basic technical background on foaming polymers. This tutorial is a must for new entrants to polymeric foaming and for individuals seeking a strong technical understanding of the foaming process. The conference on September 10 and 11 will include 22 presentations by experts from industry and academia on a wide range of topics, including processing, analytical characterization, additives, and applications. New this year is a Q&A panel discussion on the future of foam technology with Stephane Costeux (Dow Chemical), S.T. Lee (Sealed Air), Professor Chul Park (University of Toronto), Professor Miguel Rodriguez-Perez (University of Valladolid), and Steve Sopher (JSP International). Also new this year is a Sponsors' Technology Forum featuring brief presentations on new commercial technology.
Participants will enjoy three plenary speakers. Chul Park, an accomplished scientist with an international reputation in the field of plastic foams and the founder and director of the Microcellular Plastics Manufacturing Laboratory at the University of Toronto, will take the audience through the energy applications of multiwalled carbon nanotube composite foam. Ernesto Di Maio, professor at the University of Naples, will present progress made in the foaming of thermoplastics using physical blowing agents, focusing on insights gained from work done at the university. Michael Rushnak, MD, MPH, a physician, author of medical mystery thrillers, and national speaker, will provide a unique and inspirational presentation on the overcoming scientific fear of failure and finding common ground with powerful people and societies in opposition to new scientific discoveries.
For more information and to register for the conference, visit www.4spe.org/foams2014.
