PACIFIC POLYMER FEDERATION NEWSLETTER  No. 4,  December, 1992

Co-Editors: K. Hatada and G.S. Kirshenbaum  

Assistant Editor: T. Takahiko                                

 

Takeo Saegusa, (KRI International, Kyoto, Japan), President, James H. O'Donnell, (University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia), Vice President, Joseph C.  Salamone, (University of Lowell, Lowell, MA, U.S.A.), Deputy Vice President, Akihiro Abe, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan), Secretary/Treasurer

 

Members of the Council: Basil D. Fabis, (Montréal, Canada), David J.T. Hill (Brisbane, Australia), Ramlee B. Karim (Kuala Lampur, Malaysia), Chung Yup Kim (Seoul, Korea), James E. McGrath (Blacksburg, VA, USA), Renyuan Qian (Beijing, P.R. China)

 

President's Message: Takeo Saegusa

Polymer science has been expanding its scope and deepening its interests.  Polymer industry increases its importance as an indispensable basis in supporting modern life.  Pacific Polymer Federation (PPF) has been growing as a forum for exchange of polymer science and technologies in the Pacific Basi n.

 

The prime function of PPF is to organize 'Pacific Polymer Conferences" (PPC) in sequence of every two years.  In November of last year, the second PPC was held in Otsu, a town on a shore of Lake Biwa, Japan, very successfully with 378 participants from 20 countries.  The proceedings book, 'Proceedings of Pacific Polymer Science, Vol. 2', was published 6 months later by the effort of Prof.  Y. lmanishi, which has been a valuable addition of the library of world polymer science.

 

Malaysia 92 (PPS Malaysia 92)', which was organized by

Dr. Ramlee Karim, a Council Member of PPF. It was held in Kuala Lumpur, November 17-18, in the framework of the Malaysian Silver Jubilee Chemical Congress.

Although PPS Malavsia was of a character of a local meeting, quite a number of polymer scientists of Southeast Asian countries participated in it, which resulted in a big success fitting the aim of PPF.

 

In this coming year of 1993, '3rd PPC' is to be organized by our Australian colleagues in December 13 - 17 in the Gold Coast, Australia.

 

Another function of PPF is to cultivate the society-to-society interactions among different countries with various cultural backgrounds.  We can find a similitude in composite materials, blends of different elements of materials, in which unique properties are generated when the interaction at the interface between heterogeneous phases is adequately strengthened.  PPF assumes a role of reinforcing the interactions among the societies of polymer science in the Pacific Basin.

 

in the two years of 1991 and 1992, I have had a great honor and responsibility of the presidency of PPF. It has been a big pleasure for me to work for PPF with colleagues.  At the end of my term, I wish to express my sincere thanks to the Council Members, Committee Members as well as the executive officers of the Member Societies. I look forward to meeting many Pacific polymer scientists in sunny summer of December 1993 in the Gold Coast.

 

Takeo Saegusa, President of PPF

 

MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING

Orsu Prince Hotal, Otsu, Japan, November 25, 1991. Part 1: 14:00-17:00

 

Present were: T. Saegusa, J. H. O'Donnell, J. C. Salamone, A. Abe, D. J. T. Hill, R. Karim, C. Y. Kim, R. Quin, R. Prud'homme (for B. D. Favis), and eleven observers: G. A. George, S. H. Goh, K. Hatada, M. Hertel, H. Hu, Y. Imanishi, S. J. Israel, T. Ogawa, P. J. Pomery, J. C. Vogl, 0. Vogl, T. Takahiko.

 

Welcoming Remarks, T. Saegusa, President: The meeting was called to order at 14:10 pm and Saegusa welcomed all those present.  He mentioned that both sessions 1 and 2 were planned in an open style, and if any topics which require special discussions came up, we would be ready to have a closed session as well.

 

Introduction of the Members: Each attendant was asked to give a brief self­introduction.

 

Subjects Discussed:

a.) Approval of the Nagoya Minutes. The minutes were approved as presented.  An abstract of the Minuteswas reported in the latest Newsletter.

b.) Confirmation of the PPF Organization. A list of the current PPF Councilors and Representatives of the member societies were distributed and confirmed.

c.) Publication Report.  Hertel made a comment on the first edition of 'Progress in Pacific Polymer Science'. Springer printed 300 copies. The sales would have been better if the manuscripts were obtained much earlier. Imanishi explained the present status of the second edition.  All invited lecturers should submit the manuscript at the conference site. The manuscripts collected will be sent to the Springer office by the end of February, 1992.

 

Committee Reports.

a.) Membership.  The chairman of the Committee, Kim read his report on the recent activities.  Kim had made contact with two Vietnamese scientists, Profs. V. L. Dang and H. Ly Pham.  They expressed their interests in joining PPF, but no detailed informations were submitted.  Saegusa concluded that we should wait until someone from Vietnam attends the PPF Council Meeting to explain their desire.  Prud'homme pointed out that we should send PPF Newsletters to the candidate countries such as Vietnam.

Kim mentioned his recent correspondence with A. T. Hu, Vice-President of Industrial Tech­nology Institute (ITRI), Taiwan. Saegusa raised a question regarding the mutual relation between ITRI and the Chemical Society of Taiwan.  Kim promised to clarify the point.  Kim reported that Thailand would join the PPF after the polymer association of Thailand will be founded in a few years. Nothing to report on Indonesia.

 

b.) By-Laws.  Karim reported there have been no problems requiring revisions on the constitution.

 

c.) Awards. O'Donnell reported that there have been no activities in the committee.

 

d.) Information: Hatada explained the content of the latest Newsletter (issued in November 1991).

 

e.) Small Conferences.  Hill was appointed for the new chairman of the Committee. Karim explained a plan of the International Conference sponsored by the National Society (September - October, 1992: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), and asked a possibility of obtaining the co-sponsorship from the PPF.  The final decision will be made by Hill and Saegusa after some written application documents are submitted.

Goh also asked the co-sponsorship for an Inter­national Meeting scheduled in Republic of Singapore in 1993.  The action will be taken through Hill's Committee.

A letter from New Zealand was read.  Edmonds asked the PPF President to recommend speakers for their International Meeting.  Hill will look into this matter.

Hertel (Springer Verlag) added that advertisement of small meetings may be accepted in Polymer Bulletin (Springer).

 

f.) Future Council Meetings: After some discus­sions, the council agreed to have the next formal meeting in Malaysia in 1992. Karim will make arrangements for the meeting in conjunction with their International Conference scheduled in September-November of next year.

 

g.) Others.  Ogawa explained the size and ac­tivities of the Polymer Society of Mexico, and expressed their interest in joining the PPF.  Saegusa asked Kim to take close contact with Ogawa (Mexico).

Saegusa reported approximate numbers of at­tendants from the individual member countries at the second PPC in Otsu.

 

Meeting was adjourned to resume at 17:00.

 

Part 2 17:00-21:00

Present were: T. Saegusa, J.H. O'Donnell, J.C. Salamone, A. Abe, D.J.T. Hill, Ramlee B. Karim, C.Y. Kim, R. Quin, R. Prud'homme (for B. D. Favis), S.J. Israel, (for J.E. McGrath),

Twelve observers: G.A. George, S.H. Goh, K. Hatada, M. Hertel, H. Hu, Y. Imanishi, J.E. Nottke, T. Ogawa, P.J. Pomery, J.C. Vogl, O. Vogl, T. Takahiko.

 

I. The Third PPC 'Australia' (PPC-3).

President Saegusa asked O'Donnell to explain the scope of the third PPC currently in preparation. The outline of the plan approved by the Council is as follows:

Date: December 13-17, 1993

Site: Hotel Conrad, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (1 40AU$ = 109US$). Number of Expected Participants:    400+100 (150 domestic). Registration Fee: 400AU$ = 312US$ Conference Style: Multitopic

Distribution of Invited Lecturers (Proposed tentatively). USA (10), Japan (10), Australia (5), Korea (5), Canada (5), China (2+2), Malaysia (1), Singapore (1), New Zealand (1),and 5 Key Note Lectures.

Schedule: The each member society should submit their recommendation of Invited Lecturer(s) to O'Donnell by January 15, 1992.

First Circular:March 1992; Second Circular, March 1993, Abstract, June 1, 1993. Registration September 1, 1993

Publication: "Progress in Pacific Polymer Science" 3rd edition will be published from Springer-Verlag.  Hertel agreed.  Con­tributed papers (up to 15) may be included in the book by recommen­dation of the PPC scientific committee. All IL's should be strongly advised to submit 10 page manuscript at the conference site.

 

IThe Fourth PPC "USA" (PPC-4).

Salamone and Israel proposed a plan for the PPC-4:

Date: December 1995, (one week preceding the Pacific Chem Meeting)

Site: An island in Hawaii other than Oahu and Maui

 

Approved by the Council:.

 

Dinner was served during the Council Meeting.The session was adjourned at 21:00..

 

The Second Pacific Polymer Conference: PPC-2

 

The Second Pacific Polymer Conference organized by the Society of Polymer Science, Japan was held at the Otsu Prince Hotel in Otsu, Shiga, Japan from November 26 to 29, 1991.  The Chairman of Organizing Committee was T. Saegusa and the Co­Chairmen J. C. Salamone and J. H. O'Donnell.  The Scientific Program Committee with 13 members was chaired by Y. Imanishi, and the Local Committee with 21 members by K. Hatada.

 

The Conference consisted of five keynote lectures, 34 invited main lectures and 228 contrib­uted papers, including 70 posters.  A special session was held on Polymer Science and the Arts.  The conference was attended by 378 participants from 20 countries including Japan (250), the US (46), Korea (35), China (1 5), Australia (1 2), and other countries.

 

The Opening Ceremony was held in the morning of November 26.  It began with the opening address by T. Saegusa, the President of PPF, after the short enjoyment of 'Koto' music performance.  The addresses were also given by 1. Mita, the President of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan, W. H. Daly, the Representative of the Division of Polymer Chemistry, the American Chemical Society, and J. H. O'Donnell, the Representative of Polymer Division of Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

 

The keynote lectures were of general nature and had as a special flavor the development of polymer science in the industrial world.  The first keynote lecture was presented by Motowo Takayanagi, Professor Emeritus of Kyushu University, from Kyushu Sangyo University, Fukuoka, Japan and was entitled 'Microcomposite Formation of p-Aramid with Inorganic Glass and Conductive Poly-mers'.  David H. Solomon, The University of Melbourne, Australia described "Recent Develop-ments in Free Radical Polymerization'.  'Changing demands on the R & D Organization in an Inter-national Coorporation' was discussed by J.P. Riggs from Hoechst Celanese Corp. (U.S.A.). Yotaro Nishida, Senior Managing Director of Ube Industries, Tokyo, Japan, presented his talk on the 'Key Issues for Japan's Chemical Industries Toward the 21st Century". "The Next 30 Years - Will it Fulfill Our Expectations ?" was presented by Robert M. Nowak, Vice President and Director of Corporated Research of the Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan.

 

The invited lectures and contributed papers were organized in six sessions.  The invited speakers in each session were as follows.

(1) Polymer Synthesis and Reaction; W. Heitz (F.R.G.), T. Otsu (Japan), B.E. Smart (U. S.A.), S. Nakahama (Japan), H.R. Allcock (U.S.A.), R.G. Davidson (Australia), and P.J. Pomery (Australia):

(2) Polymer Characterization; L.A. Belfiori U.S.A.), R.E. Prud'homme (Canada),T. Nishi (Japan), Z.H. Stachuski (Australia), and K. Hikichi (Japan).

(3) Structure Property Relationship: T. Hashimoto (Japan), G.C. Berry (U. S.A.), I. Noda (Japan), and R. Cheng (China):

(4) High Performance Polymers; T. Inoue (Japan), T. Okada (Japan), J.-I. Jin (Korea), M. Jiang (China), and R.P. Burford (Australia):

(5) Functional Polymers; R.H. Baughman (U.  S. A.), M. Soga (Japan), D.Y. Yoon (U.S.A.), M. Isogai (Japan), and D.N. Schulz (U.S.A.):

(6) Bio-Related Polymers; Y. Sakurai (Japan), G.F. Meijs (Australia), D.A. Tirrell (U. S.A.), J. Sunamoto (Japan), W.H. Daly (U.S.A.), and Y.H. Kim (Korea).

 

Following the successful panel discussion in Maui at the first PPC in 1989, a special session was reserved forPolymerScience and the Arts.  While the first one focussed on art restoration, the session at Otsu was the place to discuss the interaction of science and technology with human sensibility (Kansei in Japanese).  Five lectures were presented as follows: Seizo Okamura, a Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University, Japan discussed "The New Trend of Polymer Science and Technology for Humanity". Elizabeth McCullough (invited), Kansas State University discussed "Liquid Barriers and Thermal Comfort Properties of Surgical Gowns".  Toshimitsu Musha (invited), Tokyo institute of Technology, presented his work on "Fluctuations, Disorder and Beauty". Miyoshi Okamoto from Toray industries, Inc.  Otsu, Japan described "Polymer Materials which Appeal to Kansei (sensibility)". Shinji Yamaguchi of Kuraray Co., Ltd. described "Learning Through Nature for the Creation of New Textile Fabrics".  Polymer Science and the Arts was an interesting session and the description of beauty and music by Dr. Musha, a contributor outside polymer society, was especially very exciting.

 

The proceedings of PPC-2, "Progress in Pacific Polymer Science 2" edited by Y. Imanishi was published,from Springer-Verlag (1992), which includes 5 key note lectures and 27 invited lectures.

 

PPC-2 in Otsu began with a pre­conference tour which brought some of the participants by chartered bus to Matsushita Electric Company Ltd., Osaka, and to Toray Industries Inc., Otsu. On Monday, November 25, a Welcoming Reception was held at the Otsu Prince Hotel in the style of a traditional opening reception of an inter­national conference organized by the Society of Polymer Science, Japan.  It gave the participants of PPC-2 the opportunity to meet and to get acquainted with each other.  On Wednesday, November 27, the official Conference Banquet was held at the Otsu Prince Hotel.

 

The organizers had planned for excursions on November 28 to the Hikone Castle and the Saimyoji Temple, which are among the national treasures of Japan. The Sayonara Party at the Otsu Prince Hotel provided a fitting conclusion for PPC-2

 

MEET YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

Basil D. Favis

Professor, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal

EDUCATION: McGill University, Undergraduate, 1976; McGill University, Ph.D. Polymer Physical Chemistry, 1981.

POSITIONS HELD: Research Associate, National Research Council of Canada, 1981-1983; Group Leader, Johnson and Johnson Inc., 1983-1985; Program Manager, National Research Council of Canada, 1985-1990; Professor, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, 1990 - present.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Processing-Morphology­Properties Relationships in Immiscible Polymer Blends; Reactive Processing; Interfacial Modification in Polymer Blends.

 

Koichi Hatada

Professor of Chemistry, Osaka University

EDUCATION: Osaka Univer­sity, B.Sc. 1957; M.Sc. 1960; D.Sc. 1965

POSITIONS HELD: Research Chemist, Daicel Co., 1957 -

1964; Osaka University: Assistant Professor 1964-1967, Associate Professor 1967-1983, Professor 1983 --

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Mechanism of Polymerization Reaction, Synthesis of Polymers with Controlled Structure, Characterization of Polymers and Oligomers by NMR Spectroscopy.

 

Gerald S. Kirshenbaum

Manager, Hoechst Celanese Corporation

EDUCATION: Case Institute of Technology, B.S. 1966; Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, ­M.S. 1970; Ph.D. 1971.

POSITIONS HELD: Research Chemist, Celanese Plastics Company, 1971-73; Sr.Chemist, Soltex, 1973-75; Sr. Chemist, Union Carbide, 1975-77; Hoechst Celanese Corporation, 1977 --, Sr. Research Chemist, Development Associate, Supervisor, Regulatory Affairs, Manager, Product Stewardship.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Health and Safety Issues of Polymeric Materials, High Performance Polymers, Polyacetals, Polyesters, LCP'S, End-use RegulatoryIssues (FDA, UL, etc.), Packaging, Flammability, Thermal Stability, Recycling.

 

MEETING CALENDAR

 

3rd International Forum on New Aspects of Nonlinear Optics and Optical Processings

March 10-12, 1993 Otsu, Japan

 

Japan international Symposium on Advanced infrared Spectroscopy

Development and Application of Time-Resolved and Two Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy

March 23-25, 1993 Tokyo,  Japan

 

ACS Meeting,  Denver, CO U.S.A.

March 28-April 2,1993

 

International Forum on Polyurethane

May 10-13, 1993 Nagoya, Japan

 

IUPAC-Workshop on Safety in Chemical Production

May 31-June 4,1993 Yokohama, Japan

 

2nd International Symposium on Bioorganic Chemistry

June 6 - 10, 1993 Fukuoka, Japan

 

International Conference on Synthetic Metals

July 25-29,1993 Seoul, Korea

 

34th IUPAC Congress

August 5-20,1993 Beijing, China

 

ACS Meeting

August  22-27,1993 Chicago, IL U.S.A.

 

Joint Symposium on Polymer Gels and Networks (SPGN)

August 31-September 3, 1993 Tsukuba, Japan

 

International Conference on Computer-Assisted Materials Design and Process Simulation

September 6-9,1993 Tokyo, Japan

 

International Symposium on Polymers (POLYMEX-93)

November 1-5,1993 Quintana Roo, Mexico

 

International Symposium on Polymers for Microelectronics (PME'93)

November 15-19,1993 Kanagawa, Japan

 

Asia Pacific Workshop on Intelligent Materials "The Role of Polymers

December 6-8,1993 South Coast, Australia

 

3rd Pacific Polymer Comference (PPC-3), 13-17, December 1993, Gold Coast, Australia

Organized by the Polymer Division of The Royal Australian Chemical Institute for the Pacific Polymer Federation

 

The 3rd Pacific Polymer Conference will be held at the Hotel Conrad (Hilton) on the Gold Coast, near Brisbane, in South-East Queensland, Australia from 13 - 17 December 1993.

Contributions from all areas of polymer chemistry, physics, materials, technology and engineering, including fundamental and applied aspects will be welcome in the program.

42 Eminent polymer scientists from the' member societies of the Pacific Polymer Federation have been invited to present Invited Lectures on a wide range of topics.

 

CALL FOR PAPERS Contributions of papers as oral presentations or posters for the program of the conference in any area of polymers are now being sought.  The time allowed for oral presentations will be a total of 20 minutes, including introduction and 5 minutes for discussion.

To contribute a paper as an oral presentation or poster: submit the Title on the Preliminary Registration Form before 1 st June 1993.

Contributions may be either research reports or reviews.  There will be a limit of one oral presentation per participant.  The PPC-3 Secretariat reserves the right to schedule contributions of oral papers as posters if necessary.

 

Language: The official language of the Conference will be English.  Translation facilities will not be available.

 

Registraion Fees

The Registration Fees for participants include entry to all scientific sessions, morning and afternoon tea/coffee, lunch on Monday and Friday, the Preprints and Program books, the Receptions on Monday and Tuesday evening, and the Conference

Banquet. Participant: AU D $465; 1 AU D $ = US $0.75

 

DEADLINES

Titles of Papers: June, 1, 1993; Abstracts of Papers: September 1, 1993; Registration: September 1, 1993