Chemist and Plastics Engineer Expert Witness

Expert Witness No. 866

Georgia

Summary of Skills

A technologist with 34 years of experience in the field of chemicals, polymers, and plastics. Uniquely Skilled in demonstrating if / why product A > B and inventing technology to reverse the trend.

Patent Infringement

Expert witness in a winning litigation between two Fortune 100 companies.
Participated in a winning patent infringement case between two Fortune 100 companies held in Canada.
Prepared documents for patent disputes handled by arbitragers.

Performance Minerals

2005-2009
IMERYS (Roswell, GA)
Developed a novel "Near-Nano Kaolin Clay / Polymer" application for gas barrier plastic film
Developed the most definitive understanding to date of CaCO3 -Stearic Acid interactions; patented technology at manufacturing stage

Natural Fibers-Plastics Composites
2001-2004
RAYONIER (Jesup, GA)
Led the project to a decision point. Fibers evaluated included wood fiber, wood flour, highly purified cellulose, kenaf, and rayon in comparison to glass fibers. Plastics evaluated included polypropylene (PP) and nylons (PA6 or N6).
Maximized the mechanical properties of composites such as flexural stiffness, flexural strength, notched Izod strength, heat distortion temperature.
Developed a novel compounding process to achieve high dispersion at commercially acceptable throughputs.

Complex Problem Solving via Analytical

1975-2001
ALLIEDSIGNAL / HONEYWELL (Morristown, NJ),
Demonstrated expertise in Thermal -Mechanical -Rheological -Barrier properties of materials.
Uniquely skilled in demonstrating if & why product A is different from product B using a coordinated analytical sciences approach.
Successfully solved numerous production, customer, and scale-up problems.
Successfully solved manufacturing problems occurring during Injection Molding, Blow Molding, Thermoforming, Cast and Blown Film operations.

Nylons/Polymaides

Demonstrated expertise in structure-property-processing relationships: crystallinity, crystallite size, orientation, melt-rheology, dimensional stability, manufacturing problems.

Polymers/ Plastics

Studied, published, and lectured on numerous polymers such as polyethylene (PE), PP, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), fluoropolymers such as Teflon, PFA, PVdF, and PCTFE.

Plastic Packaging Films

Developed a "Paper-Like Film" from an R&D concept to respond to a need for an environmentally friendly packaging film.
R&T's Business Unit Liaison to Specialty Films Business (1994-1995) and key technologist for Packaging Resins Business (1994-2001).
Led "Emerging Technologies" to improve Moisture and or Oxygen gas barrier of plastic films by modified Metallization and other coatings such as SiOx / AlOx via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), E-beam vaporization.
Continuously solved problems related to plastic films such as dimensional stability, optical properties, adhesive / cohesive failure, occurrence of gel defects, and bubble instability during blown film process.

Compounding & Additives

Commercialized a cost-effective & high performance lubricant for Nylon plastics
Demonstrated skills in nucleating agents & clarifiers
Experienced in detecting unexpected benefits of additives & developing new applications
Experienced in "Specialty Compounding"

Honors & Awards

Available upon request.

Education & Training

Ph.D / MS
(Polymer Science & Engineering)
Polytech., NY
1980

MS
(Chemical Analysis & Process Control) IIT, Delhi
1974

MS
(Analytical Chemistry)
U. of Delhi
1972

BS
(Chemistry)
U. of Delhi
1970