Four polymers students win TICONA award

Four Ph.D. candidates have won the 2004 TICONA Award for outstanding research in a polymer-related field. TICONA, which manufactures plastics and polymers at its headquarters in New Jersey, is part of the international company, Hoechst Celanese.

The students spoke on their research topics to the Lehigh Valley Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers on Oct. 19 at a dinner in Bethlehem.

The students – Jiong Liu (chemical engineering), Brian McAdams (materials science and engineering), Donald McCullough (chemical engineering), and Daniel Mercier (mechanical engineering and mechanics) – each received $500 and a plaque.

Liu spoke on “Failure Mechanisms of a Sol-Gel Reinforced Al-Epoxy Interface under ADCB Testing.”

Brian McAdams discussed “Evaluation of Adhesive Failure at Epoxy/Polyimide Interface Singularities.”

Donald McCullough gave a presentation on “Revitalizing LB films Through Gluing.”

Mercier discussed “Thermoforming simulation, a modern approach.”

The TICONA Award is given for outstanding graduate research in the field of polymers.  The awards have been given annually at Lehigh since 1987.