Latex and Synthetic Polymer Dispersions conference

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Oct 24, 2007

Smithers Rapra Technology is hosting the fifth international Latex and Synthetic Polymer Dispersions conference in Madrid on 23-24 January.

The conference offers an opportunity to keep up to date with developments in natural latex, aqueous synthetic polymer latices, processing chemicals and additives from the thought leaders and market movers across the globe.

The two day conference will open with a paper from the International Rubber Study Group examining the natural rubber latex market, giving analysis of aggregate demand and supply and trade movements within the context of the global total rubber industry.

The presentation will address the consumption of natural rubber latex by major end-products and geographical regions and will cover substitution, in particular regards to the gloves industry, supply and demand and future material availability.

There follows a number of papers under the umbrella "New materials and Chemicals", starting with what promises to be an interesting look at the recent advances in polynitrile oxide curing of natural and synthetic polyisoprene latex films by Apex Medical Technologies.

PNO curing allows for the production of medical devices without Type IV latex allergens and nitrosamines, resulting in cured latex films that can be totally transparent, free of, activators, accelerators, nitrosamines, sulphur, taste and odour.

Papers from Robinson Brothers and ECOfillers will also be presented looking at sustainable accelerators for synthetic latices and applications of emulsions made from PVB.

The conference continues with a section on the latest developments in manufacturing, technology and processing.

Diptech Systems will be demonstrating a recently released process additive to latex manufacturing systems for reduction in extractable proteins, improved leaching, and reduction in plant energy use.

Later CPR Produktions und Vertriebs will be discussing the residence time distributions for dipping tanks.

In this presentation, a model will be presented where the residence distribution can easily be calculated.

The results are surprising and can directly be used for the optimisation of the design of dipping tanks.

The benefit is that the production of dipping articles becomes more traceable under better defined vulcanization conditions.

The day's proceedings will culminate in a networking drinks reception hosted by Smithers Rapra.

Day two of the conference will involve presentations on the varied applications and markets for latex and synthetic polymer dispersions.

The Fraunhofer Institute in Germany will discuss the multiple faces of latices from large scale industrial products to nanoscience for medical applications.

Delegates will be given an overview of the development of synthetic latexes for industrial application and the recent developments for making specialised devices; from "latex gloves" to specialised functional materials for diagnostics, drug targeting and more potential interdisciplinary high-end applications.

Bayer MaterialSciences will then examine the influence of pH and viscosity on the performance of new reactive 1 component CR - latex contact adhesive formulations.

With a rising demand for room temperature active contact adhesives CR and NR based waterborne adhesives are getting increasingly more attention.

Since bonding mechanisms change fundamentally from solvent to waterborne adhesive formulations the usage of CR and NR based materials demands a complete change of the formulation philosophy to achieve similar results and versatility of application in comparison to solvent borne adhesive formulations.

This presentation will address how changes to formulation have resulted in improved performance and functionality.

A range of environmental, health and safety issues will be discussed during the afternoon, from condom quality to occupational allergies and ways to make natural rubber latex a greener and safer solution for its main uses.

The conference will end with three papers on fundamental research in latex and product processing from Eliokem, PolymerLatex and INESCOP Footwear Research Institute and Related Industries.

All registrations made before 23rd November 2007 will receive a euro200 discount off the full conference fee.