Seminars examine additives use. (Meetings).

Intertech is offering two seminars on polymer additives in June, including "Fundamental principles and latest trends for functional fillers in polymer applications," to be held June 18-19 at the Le Meridien Palace Hotel in Manchester, U.K., and "Using coupling agents and surface modifiers to improve the properties of particulate filled composites," to be held June 19-20 at the same location.

Professor Roger N. Rothon of Manchester Metropolitan University and Rothon Consultants, and Dr. Chris DeArmitt, senior project manager of Electrolux S.p.A., will instruct the seminar on functional fillers.

Functional fillers, ranging from inexpensive calcium carbonates and kaolin clays to surface treated magnesium hydroxide flame retardants and acicular wollastonites, are said to have been essential components in the development of cost-effective filled polymer composites in use today.

This seminar will cover the general principles of why these materials are used in polymer systems and the important properties, such as cost, chemical composition and physical properties, that need to be considered in using these fillers in thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers, as well as briefly outlining the size and value of the principal markets.

Attendees will learn why fillers are used, important characteristics of fillers, surface chemistry and modification, the principal filler types, use of fillers in polymers, including thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers, and the latest trends in fillers use, such as natural fibers and nanocomposites.

Session 1 on Wednesday, June 18, will present an introduction to filler markets in general terms; explain how fillers are used to improve performance and reduce costs; examine important characteristics of fillers, including cost, chemical composition, specific gravity, thermal properties, optical properties, size and shape; and discuss surface chemistry and modification, including why modifiers are used, how to select them, how to apply them, fatty acids, unsaturated acids, silanes, titanates and functionalized polymers.

Session 2 on Thursday, June 19, will examine principal filler types, including calcium carbonate (ground and precipitated), clays, talc, wollastonite, synthetic silicas, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, natural fibers and nano fillers, describe the use of fillers in polymers; discuss thermoplastics, including their effect on processing, production, mechanical properties, physical properties, appearance, cost, use of natural fibers and use of nanoclays; examine elastomers, including their effect on processing, production, mechanical properties, physical properties, appearance, cost and the green tire; describe thermosets; and discuss nanocomposites, including how they are analogous to other fillers, but surface related aspects and anisotropy dominate, and present a status and future outlook.

Professor Roger N. Rothon and Ted Sadler of Crompton Europe will instruct the seminar on coupling agents and surface modifiers.

Surface modifiers ranging from inexpensive fatty acids to complex organo-metallics are said to have been an essential component in the development of the high performance and cost-effective filled polymer composites in use today. This seminar will cover the general principles involved in selecting and using these modifiers with fillers in thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers, as well as briefly outlining the size and value of the principal markets.

Attendees will learn about coupling agents and surface modifiers and why they are used; the main types of modifiers and the general principles in their selection; coating methods and choice of coating level; cost of using surface modifiers; market information; recent developments, including green tires and nanotechnology; applications by polymer type; and effect on properties in various polymer systems.

Session 1 on Thursday, June 19, will provide an introduction and background, as well as a market overview and analysis. Reasons for using surface modifiers will be examined, including improved filler production, mechanical protection of filler of fiber during storage and handling, protection of filler from chemical attack and moisture pick-up during storage, changed powder flow properties, faster incorporation and dispersion, changed mechanical and electrical properties, either initially or better retention in use, reduced water adsorption and swelling in humid conditions, improved aesthetics, fire retardancy and cost.

Main types of modifiers and the general principles of their selection will be presented during Session 1, including non-coupling types, fatty acids, coupling types, organo-silanes, functionalized organic polymers, organotitanates, other organometallics, general effects obtained, cost considerations and a summary of modifier types and their selection.

Session 2 on Friday, June 20, will examine the choice of coating level, including the monolayer concept, determination of the actual requirement, the oil absorption (or packing fraction) method, viscosity reduction of a suspension, settling volume of a suspension, adsorption isotherms and empirical confirmation.

Coating methods and equipment will be described, including pre-coating versus in-situ use, application methods, organo-silanes, other organo-metallics, functionalized polymers, fatty acids, equipment for filler coating, equipment for coating of dry, pre-comminuted particles, and equipment for coating during wet or dry processing, including comminution.

Session 2 will also examine applications by polymer and filler type, including calcium carbonates, silicas, aluminum and magnesium hydroxides, clays, micas, tales and wollastonite, thermosets, thermoplastics, elastomers and nanocomposites.

Registration for each seminar costs $995. Further information is available from Intertech [phone].