The Nano@Tech lecture series welcomes Mike Idacavage, principal research engineer at Cytec Industries, on "Halogen-Free, UV-Curable High Refractive Index Materials for Light Management"

Note: Due to current budget restraints on campus the Nano@Tech seminar series will be providing lunch only to those who have pre-registered. If you are planning on attending the seminar please RSVP by Friday, October 8, 2010.

Abstract:
High refractive index (RI) materials, especially radiation curable high RI materials, have been used for light management in a wide variety of optical, photovoltaic, photonic and electronic applications. Recently, there have been fast growing demands for new materials with even higher RI, and better performance while also being halogen-free due to increasing environmental concerns. Achieving equivalent RI without the use of halogenated materials is a big challenge. Cytec has developed a series of halogen-free, UV-curable high refractive index materials including inorganic-organic hybrid Nanocomposite containing aromatic urethane (meth) acrylate oligomers. These materials have refractive indices in the range of nD20 = 1.58 – 1.65 (liquid) and good optical transparence, making them ideal for display and photovoltaic applications.

Biography:
Dr. Mike J. Idacavage received his B.S. (Chemistry) from Drexel University in 1975 and his Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1979 (Organometallic Chemistry). He joined Eastman Chemicals in 1979, serving at different times as Development Chemist, Manufacturing Support and Technical Service for Coatings. Mike’s work in the area of radiation curing started at Eastman Chemicals with the establishment of a photopolymer lab in 1985. Currently, Mike is the Principal Research Fellow in Cytec with responsibility for global research in Electronics Materials. In 2003, Mike received the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievements to the Radiation Curing Industry from RadTech North America.