Expert Details
Olefin Polyolefins Catalysis
ID: 107604
Illinois, USA
Expert has extended his knowledge and experience of Ziegler-Natta catalysts into the area of metallocene-catalyzed olefin polymerizations. He has made a critical analysis of all available patents and publications in this field, through various direct reports to polyethylene/polypropylene producers. He has discussed developments and scientific/business approaches of utilizing this technology with major polyolefin producers who retain him as a consultant. Additionally, Expert is a co-instructor of the Metallocene short course offered in the USA and abroad.
Expert has experience in polypropylene catalysis, processes, and products. He led the development of commercial catalysts from laboratory to pilot plant and plant, was involved in studies of waste minimization during catalyst production, and participated in new catalyst pilot plant and plant design efforts. He worked on improving the gas-phase process and suggested various approaches of producing copolymers. Expert has studied and is familiar with all the available commercial polypropylene processes and their unique advantages. The CD catalyst he helped develop produces the best available impact copolymer in the market, along with other advanced products.
A main area of Expert's expertise is in horizontal gas-phase reactors used in polypropylene and copolymer manufacturing. He is also familiar with all other processes for the manufacturing of polyethylene and polypropylene products such as fluid-bed gas-phase, bulk, slurry, and solution processes. Polyolefin manufacturing is also discussed in Expert's short course.
Expert is familiar with the commercial production and application of these copolymers, particularly the effects of catalyst and process relative to the polymer quality and properties. He has discussed copolymer property enhancements through the use of metallocene catalysts in his short course and in several commissioned reports to polyolefin producers. He has been a member of a task force for the production of advanced impact copolymers.
Manipulation of air sensitive compounds is a key ingredient of any research and development work in olefin polymerization. Use of glove boxes and nitrogen inert atmosphere is a must. Expert has solid experience in this area, which covers also the effects of impurities in the polymerization process. Aluminum alkyls are components of the polymerization catalyst system. The use of the right aluminum alkyl at the proper concentration, relative to the transition metal catalyst, along with a modifier, is a matter of utmost importance for pre- and polymerization processes. Expert has worked in this area for over two dozen years and has several patented inventions.
Expert has developed laboratory methods for the palladium catalyzed (cyclo)carbonylation of aromatic compounds (e.g., benzene and CO to benzophenone and anthraquinone). He also developed a process for the production of aniline from toluene (benzoic acid), which had been a candidate for scale-up. This is a transition metal catalyzed reaction, primarily with Cu++. The carbonylation and amination work is covered in several patents and academic publications, and has been cited frequently in the chemical literature.
Education
Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
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Year: 1979 | Degree: MBA | Subject: Business | Institution: University of Connecticut |
Year: 1964 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Inorganic Chemistry | Institution: University of Stuttgart, Germany |
Year: 1959 | Degree: BS/MS | Subject: Chemistry | Institution: University of Thessaloniki, Greece |
Work History
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
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Years: 1994 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Intenational Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:Clients include Exxon Chemical, DOW, Fina and PetroFina (now Total), Uniroyal, Engelhard, EKOChemicals (Greece), Samsung Chemical (Korea), LG Chemical (Korea),Catalyst Consultants. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1979 to 1994 | Employer: OAKWOOD Consulting | Title: Principal | Department: |
Responsibilities:Active participation in almost every company project (list available). Collaboration with Xytel Co in the design and manufacture of Polyethylene/Polypropyle Pilot Plants. Expert Witness. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1972 to 1979 | Employer: STAUFFER CHEMICAL | Title: Senior Research Chemist | Department: |
Responsibilities:● Leader in the development and commercialization of the Amoco CD catalyst. Project team coordinator forcatalyst activity and morphology improvements. ● Conceived and developed a proprietary route to controlled-morphology supported polyolefin catalysts. ● Worked closely with outside company personnel to scale-up catalyst production in pilot plant and semiworks facilities. ● Based on these efforts a world-class multi-million catalyst plant was built in Texas now owned and operated by BASF, to serve Amoco's (Ineos') and licensees' needs. ● Part of the invention was licensed by international companies for use in their catalyst manufacturing processes. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1969 to 1972 | Employer: AMERICAN CYANAMID | Title: Senior Research Chemist | Department: |
Responsibilities:Senior Research ChemistConducted R&D in new catalytic processes involving aromatic hydrocarbons. ●Conceived and developed a novel catalytic process for the production of aniline via ammonolysis of benzoic acid. Process highlighted by several publications and textbooks, discussed in a special report by Chem Systems. Considered for commercialization, featured considerable capital cost savings. ● Introduced a method for tile preparation of anthraquinone via cyclocarbonylation of benzene. ●Successfully solved problems in metal-catalyzed oxidation, nitration, coupling and cyclization of aromatic derivatives. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1966 to 1969 | Employer: MONSANTO | Title: Research Chemist | Department: |
Responsibilities:Research ChemistConducted R&D in electrocatalysis, bio-fuel cell. ●Increased the catalytic activity by an order of magnitude of several chelates and coordination compounds for use in implantable artificial heart (NIH project). |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1964 to 1966 | Employer: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | Title: Post Doctoral | Department: |
Responsibilities:●Pioneered work on a new class of organic peroxides, the trioxides. |
Career Accomplishments
Associations / Societies |
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Expert is a member of the American Chemical Society and Society of Plastics Engineers. |
Awards / Recognition |
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He is listed in Who's Who in America. |
Fields of Expertise
olefin polymerization, Ziegler polymerization, Ziegler-Natta catalyst, metallocene-catalyzed polymerization, polypropylene, polypropylene catalyst deactivation, polyolefin manufacturing, ethylene-propylene block copolymer, ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-propylene random copolymer, ethylene-propylene terpolymer, air-sensitive compound, aluminum alkyl, aromatic amine, carbonylation, ethylene, palladium catalysis, transition metal catalysis, polymerization reactor, olefin copolymer, alpha olefin, olefin, ethylene copolymer, copolymerization, block copolymerization