Physical Chemist Consultant: Fiber Structure Development, Fiber Characterization and Fiber Process Development

Expertise

• Organic fiber manufacturing process and fine structure and property relationships.
• Real time in process structure measurement: X-ray and Raman.
• Fiber characterization, both fine structure and macroscopic properties.
• Translation of fiber fine structure to functional properties, e.g. tensile, dye, elongation.
• Translation of fiber properties to final product strength in spun yarns and spun-bonded non-wovens.
• Staple yarn spinning (OES), process characterization, product development.
• Processing, structure, property relationships of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), aromatic polyamide (PPT, Kevlar®), 6,6 nylon and carbon fibers.
• Testing philosophy and selection of tests appropriate for product release.
• PP (polypropylene) oxidative stabilization.

Experience

DuPont Research and Development, Senior Research Associate, 1965 - 2001

Assignments at Wilmington DE; Old Hickory, TN (Spunbonded); and Kinston, NC (Dacron®)

• Independent and collaborative research.
• Cutting edge fundamental research in fiber structure development and product and process development.
• Devised a quantitative model for polypropylene oxidation generating substantial savings.
• Developed dyeable polypropylene and long term interest in fiber dyeability and associated fine structure features.
• Demonstrated binder selection criteria for optimized self-bonded non-woven fabric strength.
• Developed new staple products and a new process for polyester staple manufacture.
• Developed model for staple fiber to yarn strength translation.
• Provided quantitative connection between carbon fiber fine structure and fiber tensile properties.
• Provided structure basis for first successful quantitative spinning model.
• First real time study of 6,6 nylon fine structure development and change in spinning and drawing with novel quantitative interpretation of X-ray data.
• Patents and characterization of materials for patent purposes.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• Chairman of Industry/Princeton Plasma Physics Consortium.
• Post-doctoral fellowship, Univ of Notre Dame, Radiation Chemistry

Honors

• Honor Graduate, Chemistry, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
• Radiation Chemistry Fellowship, University of Notre Dame

Publications

• 10 publications.
• National and International presentations and conferences.

Education

• Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, University, Manchester, UK
• B.S. Chemistry, University, Manchester, UK