Manchester Polymer Group and Rubber in Engineering Group are hosting the new Rubber Seminar on May 15, 2017, called Rubber and Elastomers – Sustainably meeting tomorrow’s challenges.

The key speech will be delivered by ARTIS; it will be devoted to pyrolysis process and use of recently collected benchmarking data. The paper by ARTIS will also highlight alternative approaches in the industry and innovative technologies currently being developed by the company.

Most importantly, the event will feature a recycling session, which will focus on recycling advancements and reuse of waste rubber (speech by Smithers RAPRA). Polymer Recyclers plan to raise the key question of the whole tire recycling industry: “Tires Back to Tires – Opportunity or Pipe Dream?” The session will be continued by the talk “Alternative Uses of Devulcanised Rubber” by Phenix Technology. Participants of the event will learn about different driving forces spurring and reinforcing interest to recycling as a mechanism to reshape the future. The event will highlight numerous ways of rubber and tire recycling as well as potential applications of crumb rubber and rubber powder.

Session devoted to product development is going to consider slurry process EPDM. This will include New Grades obtained with an innovative New Ziegler Natta Catalyst system from Versalis which, reportedly, can be used in highly demanding applications, e.g. building solid profiles, automotive sponge profiles and TPV.

In automotive sector, Dupont Performance Elastomers will present its paper New Vamac® (AEM) Ethylene Acrylate Polymer Developments which will demonstrate that the company moves on to an equal footing with trends within the industry. Apart from that, it will highlight contribution of AEM polymers in meeting fuel efficiency requirements with no harm to engine performance.

During the testing and evaluation session, OCSiAl and Elastocon will talk about carbon nanotubes (“Use less, Do more and Perform better”) and rubber materials (“Stress Relaxation and Lifetime Estimation of Rubber Materials”)

 Event’s agenda

8.20am – 9.20am Registration & Coffee
9.20am – 9.30am Welcome address – Mr Bryan Denson, Chairman, MPG
9.30am – 10.00am Keynote address: Sustainable fillers for future elastomers Martyn Bennett, Artis
Session 1 : Product Development – Chaired by Mr Bryan Denson, MPG
10.00am – 10.30am Slurry process EP(D)M: New Grades obtained with an Innovative New Ziegler Natta Catalyst System Angelo Lucio Spelta, Versalis
10.30am- 11.00am New Vamac® (AEM) Ethylene Acrylate Polymer Developments to respond to Trends in the Automotive Industry Patricia Panne, Dupont Performance Elastomers
11.00am – 11.30am Coffee Break
Session 2: Testing & Evaluation – Chaired by Dr Gary Ogden, MPG
11.30am – 12.00pm Stress Relaxation and Lifetime estimation of rubber materials Goran Spetz, Elastocon A.B.
12.00pm – 12.30pm Use less, do more, perform better Michael Enotiades, OCSiAl
12.30pm – 2.00pm Lunch
Session 3: Additives & Innovation – Chaired by Mr Stuart Patrick, MPG
2.00pm – 2.30pm Topic – Stabilisation of rubbers and elastomers (title to be confirmed) Allan Dixon, BTC Europe
2.30pm – 2.45pm Current Funding Opportunities from Innovate UK Dr Sally Beken, KTN
Session 4: Recycling – Chaired by Martyn Bennett, RIEG
2.45pm – 3.15pm Tyres back to tyres – opportunity or pipe dream Robert Kind, Polymer Recyclers Ltd
3.15pm – 3.45pm Alternative uses of Devulcanised Rubber J – P Bouysset Phenix Technology
3.45pm – 4.15pm Developments in the recycling and re-use of waste rubber Dr Martin Forrest, Smithers RAPRA
4.15pm – 4.30pm Closing remarks, Martyn Bennett & Bryan Denson

Please note that program is subject to change.

For more information on registration, accommodation agenda, click here or visit official website of the event.