[Federal Register: October 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 204)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57069]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22oc99-37]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

 
Announcement of a Meeting To Discuss an Opportunity To Join a 
Cooperative Research and Development Consortium on Characterization and 
Modeling of the Interface/Interphase of Polymeric Materials and Systems

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
invites interested parties to attend a meeting on November 30, 1999 and 
December 1, 1999 to discuss the possibility of setting up a cooperative 
research consortium on Characterization and Modeling of the Interface/
Interphase of Polymeric Materials and Systems. The goal of the 
consortium is to develop: advanced measurement techniques for 
evaluating surface mechanical properties of polymeric materials, 
computer models for interface and interphase characterization of 
multiphase polymer processing, and nanoscale probes for characterizing 
the interphase region in polymer systems.

DATES: The meeting will take place on November 30, 1999 and December 1, 
1999 at 8:30 a.m. Interested parties should contact NIST to confirm 
their interest at the address, telephone number or FAX number shown 
below.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place in the Advanced Chemical 
Sciences Laboratory (ACSL), Room 302, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Richard Cavanagh, Chemistry 
Building (222), Room B366, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001. Telephone: 301-975-2368; FAX: 
301-216-1134; e-mail: cavanagh@nist.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Any program undertaken will be within the 
scope and confines of The Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Pub. 
L. 99-502, 15 U.S.C. 3710a), which provides federal laboratories 
including NIST, with the authority to enter into cooperative research 
agreements with qualified parties. Under this law, NIST may contribute 
personnel, equipment, and facilities but no funds to the cooperative 
research program. This is not a grant program.
    The R&D staff of each industrial partner in the Consortium will be 
able to interact with NIST researchers to develop:
    (1) Advanced measurement techniques for evaluating surface 
mechanical properties of polymeric materials and systems as a function 
of time and loading rate, and to correlate deformation scales from 
molecular to visual, including the development of mathematical models 
to assess the impact of surface deformation on the appearance of 
polymeric materials.
    (2) Realistic computer modeling program(s) for interface and 
interphase characterization and prediction for the needs of multi-phase 
polymer processing under shear flow and temperature gradients; to carry 
out necessary measurements for obtaining parameters to input for the 
modeling; to develop characterization techniques and procedures for 
evaluating the interphase structure and its formation during the 
processing of a polymer paint/coating on a structured substrate surface 
formed by a process described above, and to develop protocols for 
interactive optimization.
    (3) Nanoscale chemical and mechanical probes for characterizing the 
interphase region in polymer coating/substrate systems, to model 
interphase development in terms of the controlling thermodynamics and 
kinetics, including the effects of additives, and to develop a database 
of important characterization and modeling parameters.

    Dated: October 18, 1999.
Karen H. Brown,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 99-27680 Filed 10-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-M