July 3-8, 2005, National University of Singapore

https://POLYCHAR.unt.edu
polychar@marta.phys.unt.edu

POBox 305310, Denton, TX 76203-5310, USA
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REPORT ON POLYCHAR-13

The 13-th Annual POLYCHAR World Forum on Advanced Materials took place in the SUNTEC Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre on July 3 - 8, 2005. POLYCHAR-13 was also Symposium U of ICMAT and ISPAT held at the same time in cooperation with the National University of Singapore. Below we provide a brief report from the Forum, listing some of the presentations, all Prize winners, and also new Members of the POLYCHAR Scientific Committee elected in Singapore.

The profile of POLYCHAR has been described before; see for instance W. Brostow, V.M. Castano, S.J. Clarson, A.M. Cunha, M. Hess and D.W. Schubert, Mater. Res. Innovat. 2003, 7, 1; or W. Brostow, V.M. Castano, A.M. Cunha, U. Goeschel, M. Hess, D. Pietkiewicz, J. Springer and G. Williams, e-Polymers, no. E-002 (2004). We put together experimentalists, those doing computer simulations modeling and theorists in one lecture hall at one time. The resulting interactions are sometimes astonishing. Achieving high numbers of participants is not among the objectives. Each presenter has an opportunity - but not an obligation - to submit a manuscript based on the presentation to the POLYCHAR Scientific Committee. The manuscripts are considered by our Editors and referees appointed by the Editors for publication in an e-Polymers (many viewer hits daily). Thus, each author receives input from referees in addition to verbal input during the Forum. The journal co-Editor-in-Chiefs accepts the decisions of POLYCHAR Editors on publication. The areas covered by the Forum in 2005 were: Predictive Methods; Synthesis; Nanomaterials and Smart Materials; Mechanical Properties and Performance; Dielectric and Electrical Properties; Surfaces, Interfaces and Tribology; Rheology, Solutions and Processing; Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering; Natural and Biodegradable Materials and Recycling; and Characterization and Structure - Property Relationships.

Listing a selection of the papers presented is once again an impossible task, but here are a few (see also below for papers of prize winners):

MITSURU UEDA (Tokyo Institute of Technology) talked about fabrication of electronic devices containing metal wiring embedded in polyimides.

ROALD HOFFMANN (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY) in his invited talk discussed also sad consequences of compartmentalization of Materials Science and Chemistry. Among other materials, he and his team work on carbides. Many ceramicists work on traditional cements and concretes and most avoid carbides since the latter form chains and networks. Polymer scientists - who have the tools to deal with macromolecular chains and networks - also stay away from carbides believing these are inorganic non-polymeric materials.

VICTOR M. CASTANO (National University of Mexico, Queretaro) talked about positron annihilation as a tool in evaluation of polymers and gels.

PEARL LEE-SULLIVAN (University of Waterloo) discussed stress relaxation in piezoelectric films.

PETER E. MALLON (University of Stellenbosch) talked about characterization of surfaces modified by corona treatment.

HIROSHI WATANABE (Kyoto University) discussed rheology of block copolymer micellar dispersions.

VIRINDER S. PARMAR (University of Delhi) talked about biocatalytic generation of materials for flame-retardant and photo-voltaic applications.

DIRK W. GRIJPMA (University of Twente) discussed preparation of biodegradable networks.

DUSAN BEREK (Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava) talked about separation and molecular characterization of
polymer blend components.

JEAN GRENET (coauthors JEAN-MARC SAITER and LAURENT DELBREILH, University of Rouen) discussed relaxation behavior of glasses, both inorganic such as chalcogenides as well as polymer networks - a step in the right direction given the directions defined by Roald Hoffmann.

ULMAS GAFUROV (Institute of Nuclear Physics, Tashkent) talked about macromolecular ordering and chain rupture in deformation of polyethylene.

WIEBREN S. VEEMAN (University of Duisburg) discussed uptake and mobility of water in hard-soft segment copolymers.

ALEXANDER BISMARCK (Imperial College, London) talked about 3-dimensional porous scaffolds for cultivating cells.

ATSUSHI SUZUKI (Yokohama National University) spoke on phase transitions in polyelectrolyte hydrogels and also on surface friction between swollen hydrogels in water.

ALEXANDER FAINLEIB (Institute of Chemistry of Macromolecular Compounds of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv) talked about synthesis of nanoscaled olycyanurates.

The POLYCHAR-13 Prize Committee awarded the following Prizes:

The Paul J. Flory Polymer Research Award went ex aequo to:

• JUNG-IL JIN, University of Korea, Seoul - in particular for his work on DNAs as materials for molecular electronics and self-assembled nanobiostructures;
• R.P. SINGH, University of Lucknow - in particular for his flocculants used in treatment of industrial effluents and municipal waste water, and on applications of polymers in agriculture.

Bruce Hartmann Award for a Young Investigator:

• DHANJAY DHURRY, University of Mauritius, Reduit - for his paper on degradable polyesters and polypeptides for biomedical applications.

Second Prize for a Young Investigator:

• SIRIPON ANANTAWARASKUL, Kasetsart University, Bangkok - for his model of crystallization fractionation analysis.

Carl Klason Prize for the Best Student Paper:

• AYPING YANG, University of Tokyo (advisor Takayoshi Kobayashi) and Shandong University - for her paper on rational diffusion dynamics determined by time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy decay and a second paper on third-order nonlinear susceptibility of canthaxanthin.

Second Prize for a Student Paper:

• JELYNNE P. TAMAYO, University of the Philippines, Los Banos - for computational and experimental studies of electric conductivity of several polymers (advisor Ernesto J. del Rosario).

Diplomas of Distinction for Student Papers:

• WUNPEN CHONKAEW, University of North Texas, Denton - for demonstrating connections between dynamic mechanical properties and scratch resistance (advisors Witold Brostow and Kevin P. Menard).
• FEIFEI FANG, Inha University, Incheon - for preparation and characterization of core + shell type microspheres and a second paper on polyaniline + titanium oxide hybrids (advisor Hyoung Jin Choi).
• KEIJI TANAKA, Kyushu University, Fukuoka - for investigation of surface thermal molecular motions of polymeric solids (advisor Tisato Kajiyama).
• KA PO WENDY YUNG, Nanyang Technological University (advisor Tay Beng Kang) and Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (advisor Wei Jun) - for characterization of effects of catalyst layers on growth of carbon nanotubes.

ICMAT 2005 Student Poster Prize (awarded by POLYCHAR-13):

• KUY NAM KIM, University of Korea, Seoul - for flexible plastic displays based on polymer liquid crystal blends (advisor Jung-Il Jin)

The POLYCHAR Scientific Committee has met during the Forum and elected several new Members who have all accepted:

• ALEXANDER BISMARCK, Imperial College, London
• HYOUNG JIN CHOI, Inha University, Incheon
• ALEXANDER FAINLEIB, Institute of Chemistry of Macromolecular Compounds of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv
• ROALD HOFFMANN, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• DHANJAY JHURRY, University of Mauritius, Reduit
• PETER E. MALLON, University of Stellenbosch
• VIRINDER S. PARMAR, University of Delhi
• KOHJI TAHIRO, Toyota Technological Institute, Nagoya

Photo Courtesy of Jung - Il Jin's Group

The Course on Polymer Characterization is available on a CD for US$ 35.00 per disk including air mail costs. Requests have to be sent to the present address. Colleagues from tsunami-stricken countries (India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar) receive the CD for free also via air mail.

Make certified check payable to

The Universtity of North Texas
P.O. Box 305310,
Denton, TX 76203-5310, USA

Add memo: "POLYCHAR-13"

Below is the POLYCHAR schedule for the next three years. All recipients of the present message and their collaborators and students are invited:

POLYCHAR-14, Nara, Japan, April 2006; see the POLYCHAR homepage indicated above and for details http://www.nara-wu.ac.jp/polychar-14/
POLYCHAR-15, Rio de Janeiro, January 2007
POLYCHAR-16, Vigyan Bgavan - New Delhi, January 2008

Organizing Committee:

Witold Brostow, University of North Texas, Denton, Chair
Victor M. Castaño, National University of Mexico, Queretaro, Co-Chair
B.V.R. Chowdari, National University of Singapore, Co-Chair
Michael Hess, Duisburg-Essen University, Duisburg, Co-Chair
Masaru Matsuo, Nara Women's University, Co-Chair
M.P. Srinivasan, National University of Singapore, Co-Chair

Prize Committee:

Moshe Narkis, Technion, Haifa, Chair
António M. Cunha, University of Minho, Guimarães, Co-Chair
Alexander Fainleib, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Co-Chair
Ulmas Gafurov, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Tashkent, Co-Chair
Michael Hess, Duisburg-Essen University, Duisburg, Co-Chair
Masaru Matsuo, Nara Women's University, Co-Chair