Fluoropolymer, PTFE Fine Powder, Teflon, and Tedlar Polyvinyl Fluoride Consultant

Expertise

• Senior technical consulting service for all aspects of PTFE and other fluoropolymer products and applications.
• Extensive knowledge of fluoropolymer applications in the chemical processing industry.
• Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fine powder formulation processing and PTFE applications.
• PTFE dispersion, formulations, and applications.
• PTFE plant design, start-up and capacity/quality impairments at DuPont manufacturing sites and multiple PTFE plants in India and China.
• Paste extrusion of PTFE fine powder resins.
• Nafion® fluorinated sulfonic acid polymer and Nafion copolymers.
• Tedlar® polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) copolymer resins and films.
• Adhesion and bonding of plastic parts, specializing in the bonding of fluoropolymers.
• Fluoropolymer part design and optimization, including failure analysis of plastic parts.

Development leader for the commercialization and marketing of Teflon NXT and Teflon® 62XT.

• Multilayer plastic films.
• Fluoropolymer biologics bags for pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications.
• Fluoropolymer film lamination, extrusion coating and addressing adhesion issues and surface modification.
• Fluoropolymer coatings and pigment dispersion technology.
• Melt extrusion of polyvinyl fluoride polymers (PVF).
• Environmental aspects of PTFE based laminates.
• Twin screw extrusion of nylon, polyester, PVC and PVF.
• Flame retardancy of plastics.
• Commercialization of polymer and durable PVF coatings in primer and topcoat products.
• Thirty nine years of technical writing and publication.
• Product and Cycle Time Excellency (PACE) methodology for development of projects.
• Coal liquefaction (doctoral dissertation).

Experience

Independent Consultant, 2006 - Present

• Through a privately owned corporation, provided the clients with high level technical consulting, primarily related to fluoro-homopolymers (PTFE) and fluoro-copolymers (TFE, PFA, FEP).
• Assisted global companies with fluoropolymer manufacturing facilities, product quality, grade development and application/end-use development.
• Solved problems related to parts, films and coatings utilizing fluoropolymer materials.

DuPont, Wilmington, DE, 1982 - 2006

• Provide twenty seven years of hands-on experience with fluoropolymer technologies at DuPont plants and development centers. Experience Including polytetrafluoroethylene and copolymers products in areas of: Polymerization, finishing, fabrication of parts and coatings, surface treatment, product development, failure analysis, market development and technical service.
• Consulting support of nine years in various operations with polyvinyl fluoride (Tedlar PVF) films and coatings.
• Three years' experience in nylon and polyester extrusion spinning processes.

DuPont Fluoroproducts, Wilmington, DE, 1986 - 2006

Senior Research Associate, (New Growth Ventures), 2003 - 2005

• Team leader for material selection, design and application development of biologics bags, liquid pharmaceutical packaging, electroless Ni-PTFE composites, Nafion and fabrics resistant to chemical-biological warfare agents.
• Support of new fluoropolymer architecture programs.
• Develop new applications, products and processes using fluorinated and non-fluorinated materials
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of researchers and technicians.
• Provide technology/business advice to senior management.

Key Accomplishments

• Developed electroless Ni-PTFE coatings.
• Developed microcoaxial wires for wireless devices.
• Developed multiplayer films of fluoroplastics and thermoplastics.
• Developed multiple durable fabrics using carbon, fluoropolymer and membranes of Nafion for a project funded by the U.S. Military.

Senior Technical Consultant, (Technical Sales and Applications Development-DuPont), 1999 - 2003

• Team leader for new products, application development and customer support.
• Supported all Teflon PTFE fine powder and dispersion products for North and South America and Asia Pacific.
• Technology guardian for all PTFE applications.
• Lead team of professionals and technicians in support of global market share growth.

Key Accomplishments

• Contributed to increased global market share of 5 points.
• Developed and commercialized a new fine powder (Teflon 62XT, GB verification project) and four dispersion PTFE products using Six Sigma methodologies (2003 contribution $1.8 million).
• Provided technical consulting regarding PTFE expansions, acquisitions and investment around the globe.

Technical Consultant (Technical Sales, Applications Development), 1994 - 1999

• Technical representative for Teflon PTFE granular and micropowder resins.
• Customer support, application and product development.
• Developing new products for new customers and for new applications.
• Competitive analysis and intellectual property for new technology.

Key Accomplishments

• Led PACE team that developed and commercialized a new line of modified granular PTFE resins (Teflon NXT) using PACE.
• Developed and patented technology for non-destructive identification of fluoropolymer resins and parts.
• Developed and patented new efficient PTFE part sintering process.

Research Associate, (DuPont Fluoropolymers - Research and Development Group, 1993 - 1994

• Research professional working in the DuPont Experimental Station.
• Developing new low-pressure PVF polymers.
• PVF coating product development.

Key Accomplishments

• Developed low-pressure polymerization of Vinyl Fluoride (VF) and PVF-based exterior coatings.
• Developed polymer and durable coatings using a PVF primer and topcoat being commercialized by DuPont Fluoropolymer Solutions in South America.

Senior Technical Specialist, (Du Pont Polymer Products, Buffalo, NY, Tedlar PFV), 1989 - 1993

• Technical support for aerospace and surface transportation and new-product development for Tedlar PVF films. ($18 million business revenue).
• Lead representative for assisting customers that were developing new products.
• Developing new products and applications.
• Supporting customers using Tedlar PVF films in aerospace and surface transportation markets.

Key Accomplishments

• Development and commercialized low flammability Tedlar PVF films for aerospace and surface transportation applications.
• Solved thermal stability and flame resistance issues of aircraft and surface transportation films.
• Led a team to expand lab ($1.5 million expenditure) and moved technical service lab from Wilmington, DE to Buffalo, NY.
• Developed and patented a new aerospace laminate for aircraft interior wall.

Research Engineer II (Du Pont Polymer Products, Buffalo, NY, Tedlar), 1986 - 1989

• New product and process development TedlarPVF films.

Key Accomplishments

• Developed conductive PVF films using novel fillers.
• Developed a new manufacturing process for PVF extrusion using twin-screw extrusion to streamline single screw process.

Research Engineer I, (Du Pont Fibers, Martinsville, VA, Nylon Research and Development), 1982 - 1986

• New product development and process support for nylon and polyester fibers.

Key Accomplishments

• Developed and patented special cationic dye able nylon and polyester co-spun fiber.

Honors & Publications

Credentials

• Dissertation: Dissolution of Coal in Solvents, University of Michigan
• Coatings Technology
• Adhesion Technology
• Product & Cycle Time Excellence (PACE)
• Six Sigma - Green Belt Certification

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• Publishing editor for series plastics, elastomers and adhesives.
• Series editor for fluorocarbon handbook.
• Professional Member, Society of Plastics Industry - Fluoropolymers Division.
• Senior Member, Society of Plastics Engineers.
• Phi Lambda Upsilon (Chemical Honorary Society)
• Affiliations Member editorial board of Journal of ASTM International.

Publications and Patents

• Prolific technical writer; author, co-author and editor with writings for educational text books, national and international presentations, handbooks and peer reviewed journals.
• 8 patents issued.

Education

• Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Harbor, MI
• M.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Harbor, MI
• B.S. Chemical Engineering University of Tehran, Iran