ST. LOUIS , MO (April 2010) - Rachel Linck, Ph.D. and Rajesh Tiwari, Ph.D. of Chemir Analytical Services will be presenting a webinar: “Analytical Answers for Adhesive and Sealant Problems” on May 20, sponsored by the Adhesive and Sealant Council. The one-hour session will cover the different ways to use an outsource laboratory to trouble shoot problems using materials identification, failure analysis and deformulation.

Typical questions posed to an investigational lab can be:

• What’s that black stuff in my white elastomer?
• Why is my laminated product exhibiting adhesion failure, delaminating or forming bubbles?
• How well will my sealant stand up to various environmental stresses?
• Why does my competitor’s coating perform better than mine?
• Is it possible to develop a new coating product with novel properties?

The webinar will overview the analytical techniques chemists use for contaminant identification, material characterization, failure analysis investigations, deformulations (reverse engineering), and product development. The presentation of case studies, with analysis and solutions to common adhesive and sealant problems will help illustrate the ways in which analytical chemistry can help address questions about quality and new product development. To register, go to http://www.ascouncil.org/industry/Webinars/analyticalanswers.cfm

Biographies of speakers

Rachel Linck, Ph.D.

Dr. Linck completed her doctoral research at the Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she specialized in inorganic chemistry. After earning her Ph.D., Dr. Linck worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the laboratory of Professor Judith N. Burstyn at the University of Wisconsin where she specialized in bioinorganic spectroscopy.

As the Senior Director of Technology at Chemir Analytical Services, she designs investigations to solve difficult problems. She has experience executing experiments using a variety of methodologies and instruments including NMR, HPLC, FT-IR, LC/MS, SEM/EDXA and UV-Vis.

Rajesh Tiwari, Ph.D.

Dr. Tiwari earned his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech where he wrote his dissertation on the thermal stability of anodic oxide coatings. Dr. Tiwari has expertise in the general areas of polymers, corrosion, and adhesive bonding.

Since 2003, Dr. Tiwari has supervised Chemir projects involving polymer deformulation, identification, and characterization. He has extensive experience with molecular weight and thermal characterizations of polymers. He is experienced with a variety of methodologies and instruments including GPC, DSC, TGA, FT-IR, Raman Spectroscopy, SEM/EDXA, XPS and AES.

Who should attend:

This seminar would be useful to Quality Control/Quality Assurance adhesive professionals that need to confront difficult problems. It will also be beneficial to Research and Development staff looking to deformulate competitor’s products or having problems with their product development.

About Chemir Analytical Services

Chemir Analytical Services solves challenging problems involving chemical analysis and material testing. Since 1959 this independent laboratory has solved thousands of issues involving deformulation (reverse engineering), contaminant and impurity identification, product failure analysis, analytical method development, patent, intellectual property, and other legal challenges for over 7000 clients. Many of Chemir’s clients are Fortune 500 companies. The scientific staff of 35, including 8 Ph.D. level chemists, uses state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation and expert interpretations to assist such industries as polymers, plastics, medical devices, packaging, coatings, food and beverages, personal care products, consumer products, specialty chemicals, high-tech materials and more.