The Chemistry and Biochemistry Colloquium Series presents Dr. Hendrich Chiong on “Adventures in Chemical Research” on Monday, March 30, at 4:10 p.m. in Walter 235.
Chiong is Senior Process Chemist at Celanese Corp. “Celanese is a global technology and specialty materials company that engineers and manufactures a wide variety of products essential to everyday living. As a recognized product and process technology innovator, we help to create applications that meet the needs of our customers worldwide,” according to the company website. “Our highly-diversified product portfolio serves a broad range of end-use applications including paints and coatings, textiles, automotive applications, consumer and medical applications, performance industrial applications, filter media, paper and packaging, chemical additives, construction, consumer and industrial adhesives, and food and beverage applications.”
Abstract: In this seminar, I will share my experiences in both academic and industrial research laboratories that led to my first three U.S. Patents. Below are their brief summaries.
First, a one-step method for efficiently converting Ar-H bonds into Ar-Ar bonds was developed using Ar-Cl partner and palladium catalyst. The invention allows coupling of hetero-cycles, benzoic acids or phenols with aryl halides. This method significantly shortens or-ganic synthetic routes and permits the use of cheaper aryl chloride as partners.
Second, polyetherimide polymer made via an alternative process technology is proven to have inferior thermal properties. One common base which is normally considered to be weak was determined to be just the right additive that solved the problem. This discovery has allowed a cheaper manufacturing method for polyetherimide with a desired higher temperature performance.
Lastly, an odd observation in the reaction rate led to a significant improvement in manufacturing a key monomer. Its discovery led to an unprecedented higher conversion to products in just six hours which benefits the process cycle time!
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