Nanopolymers 2008 was designed to bring attendees up to date with the latest developments in this fast-evolving field.

Nanopolymer technology continues to grow at an alarming rate. Nanotechnology is transforming the transport, energy, packaging, healthcare and construction sectors by offering improved properties from lighter weight materials, through flame retardant polymers, to functionalised surfaces which can enable anti-corrosive, anti-reflective, anti-microbial, anti-scratch composite surfaces or provide barrier properties.

All papers presented at this Conference feature in these Conference Proceedings and are now available for general release.

 SESSION 1 MARKETS AND TRENDS

 Paper 1 Markets and opportunities for nanopolymers
Kristin Abkemeier, Lux Research Inc, USA
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Paper 2 Nanocomposites along the value-chain
Dr Péter Krüger, Bayer MaterialScience AG, Germany

SESSION 2 PROCESSING IMPROVEMENTS

Paper 3 Enhanced polymers using POSS®
Dr Chris DeArmitt, Hybrid Plastics Inc, USA

Paper 4 Supercritical carbon dioxide as an efficient process to obtain specialty organoclays: from lab preparation to pre-industrial production
Elodie Naveau, Université de Liège, Belgium

Paper 5 Conductive compounds - an update on the polycond project
Dr H Fischer, TNO, The Netherlands; John Colbert & Dr A Venables, Smithers Rapra
Technology Ltd, UK

SESSION 3 NANO-SCALE PROPERTY ENHANCEMENT

Paper 6 The influence of secondary filler on the tensile and flexural properties of polypropylene-clay nanocomposites
Anizah Kalam, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, Mohamad Nor Berhan & Hanafi Ismail, Universiti Sains, Malaysia

Paper 7 Progress with PVC nanocomposites and news on processing of nanocomposites
Dr Günter Beyer, Kabelwerk EUPEN AG, Belgium

Paper 8 Latest developments in terms of performances and applications of carbon nanotube based nanocomposites: know-how and vision of an innovative company
Geraldine Dupin, Michael Claes & Frédéric Luizi, Nanocyl SA, Belgium

Paper 9 Nylon composites reinforced by multi-dimensional nanofillers
Prof Dr Tianxi Liu, Fudan University, China

Paper 10 Nanoscale self-assembly of low molecular weight urethane/urea materials
Dr Wayne Hayes, Philip Woodward, Alex Clarke, Daniel Hermida Merino & Ian W Hamley, University of Reading, UK; Dr Andrew Slark, National Adhesives, UK

Paper 11 Nanotechnology to enhance the industrial value of renewable biopolymers
Dr José M Lagaron, Industry of Agrochemistry and Food Technolgy (IATA) CSIC, Spain; Eugenia Nuñez & Nuria Tricas, NanoBioMatters SL, Spain

Paper 12 Patent issues for nanopolymers
Dr Nick White, Marks and Clerk, UK
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Paper 13 Enhanced elastomers through nanotechnology
Dr Jeffrey Bahr, Anil Sadana, Xiaoyou Xu, Zheyi Chen & AJ Marcucci, Nanocomposites Inc, USA

Paper 14 Effects of aligned carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and electrical properties of their polymer nanocomposites
Prof Josè M Kenny & Luca Valentini, European Centre of Nanostructured Polymers (ECNP) & University of Perugia, Italy

SESSION 4: SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS

Paper 15 A tyre vision of opportunities & HSE issues in nanomaterials: the case of organoclays
Luca Giannini, Maurizio Galimberti & Angela Lostritto, Pirelli Tyre SpA, Italy

Paper 16 Nanophased hybrid sandwich composites with polyurethane/layered silicate foam cores for vehicular structural application
James Njuguna, Andrew C Walton, Cranfield University, UK; Slawomir Michalowski, Krzysztof Pielichowski, Cracow University of Technology, Poland

Paper 17 Impact of nanometrologies and standardisation on businesses
Prof Dr Ruediger Iden, BASF SE, Germany
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Paper 18 Risk issues associated with nano materials
Dr Steffi Friedrichs, Nanotechnology Industries Association, UK
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Paper 19 Polyaniline nanodispersion for corrosion protection of metals
N Tabakova, V Mircheva & S Tabakova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria

Paper 20 First results on the reinforcing effects of multiwall carbon nanotubes in natural rubber-based nanocomposites
Dr Franco Cataldo, Trelleborg Wheel Systems SpA, Italy

Paper 21 Nanostructured plasma coatings on polymers
Dr Derk Hegemann, Enrico Kémer, Sebastien Guimond & Martin Amberg, EMPA, Switzerland