DuPont Industrial Biosciences Team Wins 2018 American Coatings Award for Research on Engineered Polysaccharides
INDIANAPOLIS (PRWEB) April 10, 2018 -- Yesterday at the 2018 American Coatings Conference in Indianapolis, members of the DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Biomaterials Team received the prestigious American Coatings award for the most outstanding conference paper. DuPont’s Christian Lenges and Monica Harvey accepted the award on behalf of the team, which also included Natnael Behabtu, along with SYNPO’s Richard Milič and Jarmila Vlasakova. Their paper titled, “Enzymatic Polymerization for Engineered Polysaccharides in Coatings,” stood out to the judges among 200+ other submissions.
Historically, structural polysaccharides such as cellulose have been the backbone of early material science for applications in fibers, coatings and thermoplastics. In their technical paper, the team addressed how DuPont Biomaterials has developed a family of engineered polysaccharides ranging in molecular weight, solubility and polymer architecture. While the team is actively developing various end use applications across different markets for initial development targets, the use in coatings as presented at the ACS meeting is one such application. The team highlighted how DuPont Industrial Biosciences‘ enzymatic polymerization process offers the opportunity to allow for the rational design of polysaccharide polymer structure, architecture and material morphology.
“For the first time, we can use catalyst design (in this case the enzyme) and process control to produce specific, tailor-made structures from a common monomer, sucrose,” said Christian Lenges. “We view the enzymatic polymerization technology as transformational to provide new material options for a range of important end use markets. This technology enables access to a range of new engineered polysaccharide materials which are renewable and inherently biodegradable.”
Lenges will present the research Wednesday, April 11, at the American Coatings Conference in the “Biobased Coatings” track. For more information about the American Coatings Show and Conference, visit https://american-coatings-show.com/.
The team members include:
• Christian Lenges – business development director for Biomaterials, DuPont Industrial Biosciences
Christian is focused on the development and launch of growth businesses to make industrially important chemicals and materials from renewable feedstocks. Christian has held leadership roles in Biomaterials since 2008, driving ventures toward commercial launch. He holds a Diplom Degree from the Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf and a Ph.D. in Chemistry & Catalysis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Natnael Behabtu – biomaterials application development leader, DuPont Industrial Biosciences
Natnael leads ideation, development and implementation of emerging and growth technologies to make materials with substantially improved environmental impact. His work is focused on application development of newly developed polysaccharide polymers. Natnael received an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bologna and he completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Rice University.
• Monica Harvey – technical service & application development specialist, DuPont Industrial Biosciences
Monica works to develop new outlets and applications for DuPont’s emerging engineered polysaccharides platform. She first started her career in DuPont Central Research & Development as a research scientist. Monica obtained a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Delaware in 2013.
• Richard Milič – head of the R&D Department Research II, SYNPO a.s.
Richard has been working with DuPont for more than 20 years. His work focuses on the development of alkyds, polyurethanes, acrylics and formulations on their basis. He graduated from the University of Pardubice in the field of Macromolecular Chemistry and after Ph.D. study, he continued at the University working in the Department of Chemistry and Technology of Macromolecular Materials, before starting at SYNPO.
• Jarmila Vlasakova – Senior Researcher, SYNPO a.s.
Jarmila focuses on formulation and evaluation of paints based on alkyd, polyester and polyurethane resins. She graduated from the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic, Department of Chemical Engineering, then Jarmila finished her Ph.D. thesis at University of Pardubice, Institute of polymeric materials.
About DuPont Industrial Biosciences
DuPont Industrial Biosciences, a business unit of DowDuPont Specialty Products, works with customers across a wide range of industries to make products and industrial processes more efficient and sustainable. Through a unique combination of agriculture, biotechnology, chemistry and material science capabilities, we advance market-driven, bio-based solutions to meet the needs of a growing population, while protecting our environment for future generations. For updates about how DuPont Industrial Biosciences is helping customers deliver cost-effective products with superior performance and sustainability, follow @DuPontBiobased on Twitter or visit our website at http://biosciences.dupont.com.
About DowDuPont Specialty Products
DowDuPont Specialty Products, a division of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), is a global leader with technology-based materials, ingredients and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, building and construction, health and wellness, food and worker safety. DowDuPont intends to separate the Specialty Products Division into an independent, publicly traded company. More information can be found at http://www.dow-dupont.com.
Cautionary Statement About Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “target,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words.
On December 11, 2015, The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (“DuPont”) announced entry into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended on March 31, 2017, (the “Merger Agreement”) under which the companies would combine in an all-stock merger of equals transaction (the “Merger Transaction”). Effective August 31, 2017, the Merger Transaction was completed and each of Dow and DuPont became subsidiaries of DowDuPont Inc. (“DowDuPont”). For more information, please see each of DowDuPont’s, Dow’s and DuPont’s latest annual, quarterly and current reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, as the case may be, and the joint proxy statement/prospectus included in the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by DowDuPont with the SEC on March 1, 2016 (File No. 333-209869), as last amended on June 7, 2016, and declared effective by the SEC on June 9, 2016 (the “Registration Statement”) in connection with the Merger Transaction.
Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, including the intended separation of DowDuPont’s agriculture, materials science and specialty products businesses in one or more tax efficient transactions on anticipated terms (the “Intended Business Separations”). Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events which may not be realized. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company’s control. Some of the important factors that could cause DowDuPont’s, Dow’s or DuPont’s actual results to differ materially from those projected in any such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) successful integration of the respective agriculture, materials science and specialty products businesses of Dow and DuPont, including anticipated tax treatment, unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, productivity actions, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of the combined operations; (ii) impact of the divestitures required as a condition to consummation of the Merger Transaction as well as other conditional commitments; (iii) achievement of the anticipated synergies by DowDuPont’s agriculture, materials science and specialty products businesses; (iv) risks associated with the Intended Business Separations, including those that may result from the comprehensive portfolio review undertaken by the DowDuPont board, changes and timing, including a number of conditions which could delay, prevent or otherwise adversely affect the proposed transactions, including possible issues or delays in obtaining required regulatory approvals or clearances related to the Intended Business Separations, disruptions in the financial markets or other potential barriers; (v) the risk that disruptions from the Intended Business Separations will harm DowDuPont’s business (either directly or as conducted by and through Dow or DuPont), including current plans and operations; (vi) the ability to retain and hire key personnel; (vii) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the completion of the merger or the Intended Business Separations; (viii) uncertainty as to the long-term value of DowDuPont common stock; (ix) continued availability of capital and financing and rating agency actions; (x) legislative, regulatory and economic developments; (xi) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the Intended Business Separations that could affect the company’s financial performance and (xii) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the merger and the Intended Business Separations, are more fully discussed in (1) the Registration Statement and (2) the current, quarterly and annual reports filed with the SEC by DowDuPont and to the extent incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, by Dow and DuPont. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors presented in the Registration Statement are, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results as compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational problems, financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on DowDuPont’s, Dow’s or DuPont’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations, credit rating or liquidity. None of DowDuPont, Dow or DuPont assumes any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.
4/10/18
The DuPont Oval logo, DuPont™ and all products, unless otherwise noted, denoted with ™, ℠or ® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.
Wendy Rosen, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, http://biosciences.dupont.com/, +1-650-284-6429, [email protected]
Share this article