Silicone Elastomers 2006 planned.

Rapra Technology will hold Silicone Elastomers 2006 at the Holiday Inn in Frankfurt, Germany, September 19-20. This is the first international conference on silicone rubber offered by Rapra, and is said to offer a good opportunity for material and compound manufacturers, processors, designers, materials specifiers and researchers to meet.

Silicone elastomers are used in many application areas, such as automotive, electric and electronics, gaskets, domestic appliances, fabric coatings (e.g.., airbags), baby bottle nipples and medical devices, according to Rapra Technology. They are increasingly being used to substitute for organic rubbers because of their advantageous properties, such as high and low temperature stability, inertness (no smell or taste), low toxicity, colorability and transparency, combined with good electrical properties, according to Rapra. The hardness range is said to be wide, from 10 to 80 durometer A.

Silicones are said to have been used in medical applications for over 30 years because of their long term stability and biocompatibility. High gas permeability is said to be a positive property in many medical devices, and silicones have up to 400 times the permeability of butyl robber at room temperature. They are also used in cosmetic applications, where their colorability and sensory properties are important (a soft, skin-like touch and appearance can be achieved), according to the company.

This conference covers a range of silicone elastomers for different applications, compounding, coloring and processing.

Silicone Elastomers 2006 will be of interest to rubber manufacturers and technologists with a common interest in silicone elastomer materials, applications and technology, according to Rapra. This is said to be an excellent opportunity to network with experts in this field and to keep ahead of the latest developments.

Session 1 on trends and growth in silicone elastomers will include the following presentations: "Silicone elastomers: Introduction and basic considerations," Barry Statham, consultant, U.K.; and "Silicone expansion: Trend indicators for growth in the silicone market," Thomas Tangney, Dow Coming GmbH, Germany.

Session 2 on food contact studies will include the following presentation: "The use of GCXGC-TOFMS and LCMS for the determination of migrants from silicone rubbers into food simulants and food products," Martin Forrest, Rapra Technology, U.K.

Session 3 on silicone elastomer materials will include the following presentations: "Silicone rubber: The material of choice to meet new challenges," Hans Peter Wolf, Dow Coming GmbH, Germany; "Fluorinated silicone elastomers in automotive applications," Oliver Franssen and Stephan Bosshammer, GE Bayer Silicones GmbH, Germany; and "Influence of the network structure of silicone rubber on time-dependent autohesion as a mechanism for self-healing," Marek Mikrut and J. Noordermeer, University of Twente, and G. Verbeck, Oce Technologies, The Netherlands.

Session 4 on liquid silicone rubber will include the following presentations: "The five elements to run a successful LSR process," Kurt Manigatter, Elmet Elastomere Produktions und Dienstleistungs GmbH, Germany; "Component injection molding of LSR," Clemens Trumm, GE Bayer Silicones GmbH, Germany; "Machine technology for processing LSR," Wolfgang Roth, Battenfeld Kunststoffmaschinene GmbH, Austria; "LSR processing with servo electric driven injection molding machines--applications and experiences," Martin Neff, Arburg GmbH, Germany; and "Innovative machine systems for molding LSR components," Leo Praher, Engel Austria GmbH, Austria.

Session 5a on processing silicone elastomers will include the following presentations: "New developments in silicone processing," Ubaldo Colombo, Colmec SpA, Italy; and "Machine, mold and process technology for processing HTV silicones," Manfred Arning, Esitec, Germany.

Session 5b on additives and finishing for silicone elastomers will include the following presentations: "New opportunities for using silicone rubber," Maike Benter, Nanon A/S, Denmark; "Colors in silicone: The visible additive," Thomas Klehr, Holland Colours, The Netherlands; "Bonding silicone rubber," Aissa Benarous, Chemical Innovations Ltd., U.K.; and "Acetone cure one-part RTVs--non-corrosive silicone adhesives that perform," S. Stoodley, ACC Silicones Ltd., U.K.

Session 6 on medical applications of silicone elastomers will include the following presentations: "Pharmaceutical and medical device applications of novel silicones," David Jones, Queens University, Belfast, U.K.; "Silicone elastomer gels for medical devices: Viscoelasticity and performance," Dr. Gilles Lorentz, Delphine Blanc and Ludovic Odoni, Rhodia Research & Technology, France; and "Hydrophilization of silicone rubber for biomedical applications," Farhang Abbasi, Sahand University of Technology, Iran.

Registration information for Silicone Elastomers 2006 is available from Sharon Garrington, tel.: [phone]; fax: [phone].