Thermoplastic elastomer manufacturers rely on quality process oils to achieve the desired softness and flexibility in a wide range of products.
The industry also relies on best practices for TPE chemical composition, which Dr. Takashi Inoue has spent his long career advancing.
This is why Renkert Oil is pleased to honor Dr. Inoue with the 2021 Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers Award, sponsored by the American Chemical Society’s Rubber Division.
Honoring Outstanding Contributions
The American Chemical Society is the world’s largest scientific community. As a supplier of process oil and other oils necessary for the manufacturing of quality synthetic and natural rubber products as well as TPEs, Renkert Oil is a proud member of the ACS Rubber Division.
Every year, the ACS honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions across many industries. The Rubber Division established the Chemistry of TPE Award in 1991 with an emphasis on innovations that have yielded commercial or patentable materials.
Renkert Oil enjoys every opportunity to support individuals like these, who advance the industries we serve and help our customers be more successful.
We first became a sponsor of this award in 2019, honoring Dr. Timothy Long, and presented Dr. Lewis Fetters with the 2020 award.
Once again, we are proud to co-sponsor the Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers Award, awarded in 2021 to Dr. Takashi Inoue.
Advancing the Industry Together: From Higher Quality TPEs to Clearer Process Oils (Extender Oils)
Professor Inoue has been actively involved in the field of thermoplastic elastomers and polymer blends for over four decades. His contributions have enriched the industry Renkert Oil also strives to improve through ongoing research and development to improve product performance.
Improved and Non-Vulcanized TPEs
Dr. Inoue has drawn from impressive academic and professional experience to innovate the synthetic rubber, EPDM and TPE industry. His is an impressive bio:
- Education: Received his education at Kyoto University, earning his Ph.D. degree in polymer chemistry from the College of Engineering in 1971.
- Work: Research scientist in Japan and in the U.S. for several years. He has been a professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology (1981-2001) and Yamagata University since 2001.
- Publications: Published over 270 research papers, contributed to 50 books and is listed on 60 patents.
- Awards & Honors: Harold Morton Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Akron in 1997. Received the Oenslager Award from the Chemical Society of Japan in 1999. Served as President of the Society of Rubber Industry, Japan in 2005.
His work on the origin of rubber elasticity in polypropylene-EPDM blends helped answer the question: Why does this melt-processed TPE behave like vulcanized rubber in its ability to bounce back from highly deformed states?
The principles revealed by Prof. Inoue have been applied in industry to improve the quality of TPEs and stimulated the development of new versions of non-vulcanized TPEs.
Better Process Oils to Put the “Soft” in “Soft Touch”
In this same spirit of innovation, Renkert Oil has routinely engaged industry partners to create new, commercially viable products that improve product performance for our customers.
For example, in 2018, we worked with Star Thermoplastic Alloys and Rubbers to prove out our new process oil, Renoil 1500-LV.
As we explained in the article we co-published with Star Thermoplastics (published in full in Issue 2, 2018 of TPE Magazine International), we were able to improve automotive fogging and achieve color stability while maintaining the ideal “soft touch.”
This prestigious award is one example of how we honor the work of scientists like Dr. Inoue. We also honor it, in concert with our partners, by working to extend the quality and utility of the industry-leading products that innovators like Dr. Inoue have worked to perfect.
Quality Process Oils, White Mineral Oil, and Other Specialty Oils
We presented the 2021 Chemistry of TPE Award at the International Elastomer Conference, held this fall in Pittsburgh, PA. IEC was a great opportunity to interact directly with leaders representing industries with a variety of specialty oil needs.
From left: Suzanne Kingsbury, Mark Sansing, Chris Fox, and Mark Proudfoot
IEC 2021, Pittsburgh, PA, October 4-7
Renkert Oil supplies dozens of industries with an expansive product line of:
- Base oils in partnership with Chevron and Neste.
- Process oils from Chevron, as well as Renoil, our house brand product line.
- USP/NF white mineral oils ideal for food manufacturing, agriculture, and other industries.
- High-purity GTL (gas-to-liquid) isoparaffins in partnership with Shell with broad applications.
- Transformer oils (electrical insulating oils) from our VOLTRO product line.
In addition to honoring the work of amazing scientists whose contributions improve the industries we serve, Renkert Oil supplies our customers with quality process oils and other specialty oils that exceed industry standards and set new standards through innovation.
We invite you to partner with us. To learn more about TPE extender oils, process oils, white mineral oils, or any other products we supply across the globe, contact us today.