Abstract:

Natural rubber vulcanizates can have very high tear strengths, due to their ability to strain-crystallize at a tear front and thereby provide resistance to fracture. On the other hand, amorphous rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber tear easily. Upon the addition of carbon black to either rubber, tear strengths can be increase substantially. This is due to increased energy dissipation and blunting of the tear tip. The talk will explain these behaviors.

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Biography:

Professional Preparation
 Cornell University      ChE     B.S., 1972
 Cornell University      ChE     M.S., 1973
The University of Akron    Polymer Science  Ph.D., 1978

Professional Appointments
 1988-present:   Professor of Polymer Science, The University of Akron
 1984-1988:   Associate Professor of Polymer Science, The University of Akron
 1979-1980:   Senior Research Scientist, Firestone
 1976-1979:   Research Scientist, Firestone 
 
Honors and Awards
 Tau Beta Pi, Engineer Honorary
 Sparks-Thomas Award from the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society, 1987
 Outstanding Research Award, The University of Akron, 1987.
 Adhesion Society Award for Excellence in Adhesion Science, 1999.
 Robert L. Patrick Fellow of the Adhesion Society, 2000.
 George Stafford Whitby Award from the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society,  2001.

Research Interests
 Rheology of adhesion; autohesion and tack; brass-rubber adhesion; fracture of rubber;  anisotropic rubber; rubber reinforcement.