Chemistry International
Vol. 22, No. 1
January 2000
Reports
from IUPAC-Sponsored Symposia
19th
Discussion Conference on Rheology of Polymer Systems,
19-22 July 1999
Prague, Czech Republic
This conference was the 58th meeting in the series of Prague Meetings
on Macromolecules, organized by the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry
of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic under the auspices
of the IUPAC Macromolecular Division. The aim of the conference was
to provide a discussion forum for experts in the field of polymer rheology,
with special emphasis on a structural understanding of macroscopic phenomena
of multiphase systems.
The program committee, with Dr. Ivan Fortelen� as Conference Chairman,
succeeded in arranging a very interesting scientific program with many
prominent speakers. Attendees included 73 participants from 23 countries.
The topics of the conference were covered in 6 main lectures, 70 special
lectures, and 27 poster contributions. In addition, two panel discussions
were organized on problems of rheometry and processing in multiphase
polymer systems (discussion leader: A. Ya. Malkin, Russia) and problems
of the description of structure formation and evolution in molten multiphase
polymer systems (discussion leader: J. Lyngae-Jørgensen, Denmark).
Main lectures included the following: "Quantitative predictions
of the viscoelasticity of polymer melts" (R. G. Larson, USA), "Wall
slip of polymer melts-measurement and industrial relevance" (H. M. Laun,
Germany), "Some unusual rheology-morphology relationships in polymer
blends" (V. G. Kulichikhin, Russia), "Long-time relaxations in rubber-modified
polymer systems" (Y. Aoki, Japan), "Rheology of immiscible blends: relations
to structure" (J. Mewis, Belgium), and "Rheology of reactive polymer
blends" (A. Muller, France).
The meeting was well organized, and the program was conducted in a
smooth and efficient manner. There were sufficient opportunities for
vivid and fruitful discussions. In addition to the scientific program,
the participants enjoyed a welcoming reception, an interesting excursion
to historic places in the surroundings of Prague, and a splendid conference
dinner.
Both the main lectures and special lectures will be published as a
volume of Macromolecular Symposia.
Dr.
H. M. Laun
Titular Member
IUPAC Commission IV.2 on
Polymer Characterization and Properties