Above: Tim Kealy
Rheology Solutions

Above: Neil Duggan
Rohm & Haas Company

This seminar and workshop is designed to increase understanding of rheological influences on processing parameters, by providing the knowledge to improve process and product performance.

Presenter - Dr Timothy Kealy, Technical Manager. Rheology Solutions Pty Ltd.
Guest Speaker - Mr Neil Duggan, Technical Manager Architectural & Functional Coatings. Australia/New Zealand. Rohm and Haas Company.

The Seminar Tim Kealy will combine practical and theoretical elements of materials characterisation utilising demonstrations to illustrate the concepts of processing parameters, such as flow, sag and leveling.

Guest Speaker Neil Duggan will provide a practical industry perspective elaborating on rheology and its use in the surface coatings industry. Examples of paints will be used to illustrate how to change properties such as sag, flow and leveling by using rheology modifiers and viscosity enhancers to optimise coating performance.

The Workshop The afternoon session will be devoted to the workshop and will be led by Tim and Neil. The concept of the workshop is to provide each person with hands-on experience with a range of viscometers and rheometers across a variety of relevant coating samples. Each participant will have time for individual discussions and to learn about and work with the reliable rheological pointers for coating performance.

Rheology Solutions is pleased to announce the first of their series of one-day industrial seminars and workshops for interested scientists and engineers working in the surface coatings sector.

In general, surface coatings are multi-phase fluids, usually one or more liquid phase, which may or may not be water based, in which particulate matter is suspended. The effectiveness of the coating depends on many things, including the properties of both phases and their interaction, the nature of the substrate, the method of application of the coating to the substrate, and diverse processing conditions including temperature, mixing, time, etc. For these reasons, processing and application of the materials is not straightforward.

The performance of a coating fluid has traditionally been assessed using either full-scale process equipment, leading to down time and production loss, or (often expensive) purpose built pilot plant. The terms usually referred to when coating performance is assessed are diverse, for example, tack, surface tension, opacity, brushability, leveling, sagging, flop, length and so on. It is widely accepted that rheological parameters including high- and low-shear viscosity, thixotropy, visco-elasticity and yield point are reliable pointers for coating performance. Their influence, and the influence of environmental and process conditions upon them is a critical factor for processability and product quality.

This seminar and workshop is designed to increase knowledge of rheological influences on processing parameters, and to provide an understanding of the tools used and available to improve process and product performance within the surface coatings industries. The seminar and workshop consists of three core elements, The Seminar, Guest Speaker, and The Workshop.

Costs Early bird registration received by 1 August 2003 $350 plus GST
Full fee received after 1 August 2003 $395 plus GST

Dates & Venues
Victoria 26 August 2003
Rydges Carlton, Melbourne Carlton Room, 4th Floor 701 Swanston Street, Carlton
Parking is available at the Hotel ($5.50 per day) or at Royal Women's Hospital, Grattan Street (approximately 2 minutes walk).

NSW 29 August 2003
Curzon Hall 53 Agincourt Road (corner of Balaclava Road),
Marsfield Free parking is available at the venue.

RSVP Registration and payment is required by 15 August 2003. There will be a limit of 30 people to ensure that each participant is provided with hands on use of the instruments during the workshop session. Please note: Receipt of your payment or official company purchase order will secure your place and attendance at the Seminar and Workshop.

Presenter - Tim Kealy Rheology Solutions Pty Ltd
Phone: + 61 3 5368 7429  •  Fax: + 61 3 5368 7439  •  Email: timkealy@rheologysolutions.com

Tim Kealy is the Technical Manager at Rheology Solutions Pty Ltd, with broad experience in the field of rheology and its applications. This includes academic experience at two leading Australian universities covering rheological applications for diverse industrial interests. Tim also has industrial experience in both QA/QC and project engineering.

Tim currently works towards improving the understanding of Rheology Solutions' clientele in the field of rheology by:
• Contract consulting and testing for industrial clientele on matters related to rheology
• Sample testing and test system design for new customers
• Conducting targeted, industry specific courses and seminars
• Installation of new instrumentation, including ongoing training of personnel in its use and in the interpretation of data
• Academic collaborations with the aim of advancement of technical understanding of the science of rheology including research in the fields of suspension rheology and paste rheology Guest

Speaker - Neil Duggan Rohm and Haas Company
Phone: + 61 3 5227 6366  •  Fax: + 61 3 5227 6399  •  E-mail: nduggan@rohmhaas.com

Neil Duggan is currently Technical Fellow for Rohm and Haas Asia-Pacific Region Coatings business. This includes technical and/or market development responsibility for a range of products for the surface coatings industry, specifically including rheology modifiers. Neil has a wide background in resin development and paint formulating for decorative and industrial coating applications. He has worked in Rohm & Haas laboratories in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and U.S.A.

The scope of Neil's current role includes:
• Problem-solving, trouble-shooting and formula optimisation for industrial and decorative coating customers
• Facilitating training workshops for paint formulators, especially in paint rheology and waterbased resin technology
• Providing market support for Rohm & Haas' extensive range of rheology modifiers and other coatings additives
• Working with product development teams, sales and marketing staff to introduce new coating technologies to the Asia-Pacific Region

Seminar & Workshop Outline & Timetable

8:00 Welcome coffee and registration.
Registration will begin at 8:00am, a selection of teas, coffee and snacks will be available on arrival. The Seminar - Tim Kealy, Technical Manager. Rheology Solutions Pty Ltd

8:30 Why Rheology?
This segment will introduce the concepts of rheology and how they apply to the surface coatings industry. Industry concepts of slump, flop, tack, flow and leveling, sag and so forth will be introduced and explained in terms of the material properties which govern them. Using laboratory equipment (rheometers and viscometers) and samples chosen from the surface coatings industry, we will illustrate the relationships between these concepts and their governing properties. The place of rheology in the surface coatings industry will be shown in this segment.

9:00 Introduction to Rheology I
Rheological terminology and theory has traditionally been viewed with some confusion by those not directly involved with the science. This segment will attempt to demystify some of this terminology and theory, by explaining it in a simplified way, with minimal use of mathematical equations. The theory and terminology will be explained and demonstrated using modern equipment and samples taken directly from the industry. Terms such as shear rate, shear stress, Newtonian and non-Newtonian shear viscosity and flow curves will be explained.

10:00 Morning Tea
A selection of teas, coffee and snacks will be available.

10:15 Rheological Instrumentation and Sensor Systems
There exists a wide variety of measuring systems (cup, tube, capillary, rotational and others) and measuring geometries (concentric cylinder, cone and plate, plate and plate, Poiseuille). Each of these systems and geometries has specific strengths and weaknesses and are selected specifically based on the type of sample to be characterised and the information required. These in turn will be explained in simple and practical terms.

10:45 Introduction to Rheology II
Viscoelasticity and extensional properties govern important variables such as tack, misting and filling. In general these areas of the field have been viewed as more complex than shear rheology (as explained in Introduction to Rheology I). This segment will explain and demonstrate, in basic terms, terminology and theory with minimal mathematical references for understanding and measuring of these properties. Guest Speaker - Neil Duggan, Technical Manager, Architectural and Functional Coatings. Rohm and Haas Company

11:45 Guest Speaker Presentation
Neil has considerable expertise in the field of surface coatings and rheology and will provide illustrative examples and explanations of how to modify and take advantage of the rheology of surface coatings. He will use viscosity modification and enhancement of paints to provide visual examples of what may be achieved to optimise coating performance.

12:45 Questions and Discussion
Though each session will be interactive, this session will afford attendees the opportunity to ask questions, as well as seeking clarification of the previous seminar segments.

1:00 Lunch
A full lunch will be provided, along with the opportunity for further discussion.

2:00 Summary of Support, Services, Institutes and Societies
There is considerable expertise in Australia and globally to support industry through special interest societies and groups. In addition, there are professional organisations and companies who can help and advise the industry on the correct approach to challenges and improvements. We will introduce these groups, and how they may be contacted so that participants will have this network available to them should the need arise.

The Workshop - Led by Tim Kealy & Neil Duggan

2:15 Workshop
The workshop is envisaged to be enjoyable, informative, hands-on and provide a practical approach for all participants. Shear, viscoelastic and extensional measurements will be made, using both high and low end measuring equipment. Each participant will have the opportunity to use the equipment, and to assess the differences between the data available from each instrument. Each participant will assess the physical effects of rheological modifications on the samples through experimental tests. The workshop will be amply supervised, with the ratio of demonstrators to participants kept deliberately high to facilitate full interaction.

3.30 Afternoon Tea
A selection of teas, coffee and snacks will be available.

3.45 Workshop
Continuation of the workshop.

5:15 Summary and Questions
Seminar and workshop summary. Any further questions or comments will be addressed.

Close of day is expected to be at 5.45 pm.

You can register your interest in the Industrial Seminar & Workshop Series for Surface Coatings by completing the registration form.

Surface Coatings Seminar & Workshop Review