RubberCon 2014: Advanced Engineering & Materials Developments

Date: 14 – 15 May 2014                Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, Manchester, UK

RubberCon is an annual global rubber conference arranged through the International Rubber Conference Organisation (IRCO). RubberCon 2014 will be hosted in the historic home to the rubber industry – Manchester – the location where Thomas Hancock and Charles Macintosh built their first joint factory to produce waterproof clothing in 1825. Abstracts are invited that can explore a range of topics arranged into two parallel themes:

Theme 1: Advanced Engineering and Modelling of Rubber

• Rubber materials at a micro-structural level (for example looking into polymer interaction with reinforcing fillers).
• Rubber materials subjected to a range of static, dynamic, time dependent or cyclic loading conditions.
• Failure of rubber products resulting from effects such as abrasion, ageing, fatigue, softening, catastrophic tearing or swelling and diffusion phenomenon.
• Manufacture of rubber products including the rheology of polymers during mixing, moulding or extrusion; the examination of thermodynamic flow and models of the cross linking processes.

Theme 2: Materials’ Developments

• Novel polymers, or fillers and additives that can enhance performance.
• New insights into the detailed mechanisms of filler reinforcement.
• Smart, energy harvesting or actuating elastomer systems including liquid crystal elastomers, or dielectric elastomer actuators.
• Recycling initiatives.
• Engineering solutions to meet tomorrow’s legislation.

Please submit your abstract of less than 250 words at www.iom3.org/events/rubbercon2014 by 30 September 2013.

Any other questions regarding participation or sponsorship of the event can be directed to James Busfield(Co-chair of the Conference)