Dow Corning
- Silicon based additives development for tyre and plastic composites
Seneffe
2007 - 2013
Silicone and non silicone additives development specialist and R&D team leader experience at Dow Corning Europe S.A.
Senior Development Specialist - 5 years in R&D department
Design & Development of new silane coupling agnets and silicone additives for tyre rubber thermoplastic and thermoset applications. Identification of new opportunities through literature survey, conference participation and discussion with customers.
Long term technical & patent strategy definition, evaluation for freedom to pratcise
Tyre R&D team leader - 2 years
Technical team composed of 2 technicians and 2 development engineers.
Active participation in strategic decision & new project selections.
Key achievements:
Development of 2 new silanes chemistry and discovery & development of 3 new silane families for rubber, thermoplastic, thermoset and carbon filler modification for various application including but not limited to tyre & wind blade.
Identification of key market & technical trends in tyre, wind blade composites and automotive applications. Development of IP strategy, identification of technical gaps and strategy.
Tyre: Key technical contact for tyre manufacturer leading to evaluation of 2 new silane evaluation in lab and 1 plant trial. Second prototype developed until project stopped by Dow Corning. Particiaption to business model elaboration for tyre
Other applications: Preparation and execution of technical plan, customer visit & presentation, NDA field preparation. Identification of technical requirements and identification/selection of products to meet technical requirements. New application development for thermoset resin evaluation (elaboration of key contacts and key equipments).
Technical knowledge:
Reinforcement –glassy shell – theory sharing and development and percolation theory within DC. Mixing and characterization of silica/silane filled rubber compounds. Scaling up (49 L) of rubber compounds for tyre application at Harburg Freudengberger facilities for a new coupling system for silica in truck tyre application.
Synthesis knowledge (hydrosyllilation, PTC) and molecular design of new coupling system for silica & carbon filler. Transfer of synthesis route to Process Engineering and proposal for improvement scale up activities.
Techniques used :
Zwick Traction bench, DMTA, DMA, Shore, RPA, Mooney, internal and two roll mill mixers, DIN abrader, AFM, SEM, TEM/EDX, GC, RMN, DOE
Other skills development:
Evaluation of freedom to practice for newly developed solution, patent landscaping, technical SWOT of competitors, competitive intelligence evaluation, key technical contact for partners in development activities, participation to strategic decision (technical representative), evaluation of new project potential and technical development of technologies.
Publications
8 published patents: New coupling system and silicone additives for silica in diene eslatomers and glass fibers for thermoplastics. 6 patents filed publication for 2013 on rubber, plastic modification and carbon treatment.
Technical presentation on new silane coupling agent for truck tyre and natural rubber at Tyre Tech 2012. Presentation referenced in European Rubber Journal April 2012.
Several internal conference presentations and posters presentations.
Poster “new synthetic way to obtain model filled elastomers” at JCNS (I FF).
Presentation on influence of interfacial strength on viscoelastic properties of silica/silane reinforced elastomers at JEPO 2007
Publication : H. Montes, T Chaussée, A Papon, F Lequeux, L. Guy , Eur. Phys. J. E 31, 263–268 (2010)
