PSTC named Kyle Heimbach, R&D Chemist, Avery Dennison Materials Group, recipient of its coveted 2013 Carl Dahlquist Award. The award is named for innovator Dahlquist who developed the Dahlquist criterion of tack, determining the modulus value of a material necessary for it to be low enough and tacky enough to be considered a pressure sensitive adhesive.

PSTC presents the Dahlquist Award to one speaker during its annual technical conference who, following the evaluation of a panel of judges, demonstrates the very best in research relating to adhesive tape technology. The selection covers a range of criteria, concentrating on originality and scientific contribution, but also includes presentation and quality of visuals.

Mr. Heimbach presented Transposable Adhesives: Acrylic Pressure Sensitive Adhesives with Reactive Components at the PSTC TECH 36 technical seminar, May 15-17, at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, New Orleans, LA.

Mr. Heimbach has worked for Avery Dennison’s polymer research and development group for five years. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University in 2007 where he also completed three cooperative education rotations in Avery Dennison’s polymer division prior to his five years in R&D. His work has focused on controlled radical polymerization techniques, most notably Nitroxide Mediated Polymerization (NMP) and Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) to obtain high/100% solids materials. Some other areas of research for Kyle include structural coatings, transposable adhesives, and reactive oligomers.

Mr. Heimbach paper was one of 23 during the three-day technical seminar, which was part of PSTC’s highly attended Tape Summit where the entire pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape industry channel was represented from adhesive manufacturers and suppliers to tape manufacturers, tape converters, associations and industry experts.

Mr. Heimbach’s winning paper is published online at PSTC’s website at www.pstc.org/heimbach and in the PSTC TECH 36 proceedings book.