Press Release
The Workshop was convened by an international group of leading
researchers in polymer processing to discuss the touchstones of modern polymer processing.
The workshop was generously supported by the Universities of some of the participants, industry,
and the hosts of the workshop, the Polymer Processing Institute and the New Jersey Institute of
Technology and took place on May 10-12, 2002 in Newark, NJ, USA.
It was organized in order to take stock of the historical evolution
of the field of polymer processing, analyze current developments in research, take note of structural
changes in industry and consider future trends. The underlying rationale was the proposition that
this new and still evolving engineering discipline, propelled by the revolutionary developments in
polymer physics, polymer chemistry, computational fluid mechanics, sophisticated novel instrumentation
capabilities, modern catalysis, and developments in molecular biology, is diverging into a
broad-based multidisciplinary activity, not unlike biotechnology and nanotechnology. Therefore, it
is at a turning point. The Workshop was attended by 45 participants from academia and industry
coming from Canada, England, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Portugal, The Netherlands and
USA. Industrial representation included the polymer manufacturing segment, machine manufacturers
and processors. In addition, several of the participants are editors of
professional journals.
Summary
In the last half century classical polymer processing focused on
current machinery and processes and has contributed greatly to improving machine design and process
optimization. There are, of course, still many facets of the processes that are ill understood,
and their better understanding will surely bring about further improvements, but probably not
“quantum jumps”. Many elements that we still need to fully grasp in classical polymer processing
were outlined.
Modern polymer processing, or rather future polymer processing
focuses, however, not on the machine but on the product. The long range goal is to predict the
properties of a product made from a yet non-existent polymer or polymer based material, via
simulation based on first molecular principles and multiple-scale examination. This approach,
using the increasing computing power and very sophisticated simulation, might mimic nature by
targeting properties via complex molecular architectural design. Such analysis will not only lead
to new products but also will improve existing machines or even lead to radically new machines;
nevertheless the focus remains on the product. The goal is to “engineer” a vast number of new
truly advanced materials with yet unknown combination of properties, which will open up a new
“golden age” for the field, reminiscent to that of the 1960s and 1970s, when most of the currently
used polymers were developed.
In view of these ambitious goals, the term “polymer processing”,
or “plastics engineering” becomes too narrow and confining, and a more accurate description of
the new emerging field ought to be “macromolecular engineering”. The new field is inherently
multi-disciplinary in nature. Progress, or frontier world class research, in the field requires
close collaboration of many disciplines of science and engineering. Hence, the emphasis must shift
from the individual researcher to large team efforts; real progress will be only possible by pooling
substantial resources, and the allocation of the significant resources needed should be facilitated
by a new vision, planning and a comprehensive alliance between government, academia and
industry.
“Macromolecular engineering” is part of a broader scene.
Its boundaries on the very fundamental level merge with molecular biology on one hand, and the
growing field of complex fluids, that grows out of chemistry, physical chemistry, physics, and
chemical engineering, on the other. And, this in turn has profound educational implications,
pointing to the possible creation of an entirely new unified underlying discipline and basic
undergraduate curriculum in Molecular, Macromolecular and Supramolecular Engineering, leading to
specialization in Chemical Molecular Engineering (formerly chemical engineering), Macromolecular
Engineering (formerly polymer processing and engineering) and Biomacromolecular Engineering
(formerly biochemical engineering or biotechnology). Finally, it is worthwhile to note that
the backdrop and driving force that brings about this turning point of the field is the epic
fusion of science and technology into a new indistinguishable entity, that started at the
closing decades of the 20th century, giving rise to revolutionary developments across the board
in science, engineering and technology, such as genetic engineering, semiconductors, laser
technology, optoelectronics and submicron electronics, information technology, material science,
and biocatalysis.
Follow-up Steps
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