PSI’s Liquid Chromatography Lab
Polymer Solutions was the focus of a news segment produced by WDBJ7, a CBS affiliate from Roanoke, VA, during the World Polymer Congress, held on Virginia Tech’s campus June 24-29.
Based near the school campus in Blacksburg, VA, Polymer Solutions tests medical devices, plastics, adhesives, and rubbers to help manufacturers learn whether their products have the component parts or chemicals they are supposed to have. The company hosted a booth at the conference, which more than 1,500 scientists from 52 countries have attended, and gave the participants tours of its laboratories.
One such tour was filmed by the news channel. The spot shows participants seeing how some of the company’s machinery operates. It also interviews company founder, Jim Rancourt, who explains that lactic acid — a chemical that is produced within the human body when muscles exercise — can be converted into a plastic that looks much like what is used in a beverage bottle. The chemical also can be converted into material useful in reconstructive surgery.
The news segment also interviews a Polymer Solutions visitor, Eric Dunphy. “People underestimate the use of chemicals and plastics,” he says. “Everything you see around you today has basically come about because of it.”
The segment concludes with the reporter, Orlando Salinas, saying that work for Polymer Solutions has been steady. The company is expanding, he says.
The World Polymer Congress was an opportunity for Polymer Solutions to showcase its talents and abilities to scientists from around the world who are developing new technologies with polymers and plastics. Also, former and current clients could meet company scientists face to face and discuss potential new projects.
Source: “World Polymer Conference Comes to Blacksburg,” WDBJ7, 6/25/12
Image by Tvien, used under its Creative Commons license.
Dale McGeehon has been a journalist and editor for more than 25 years, covering chemical regulation and testing for Pesticides and Toxic Chemical News and innovations in material sciences for the National Technology Transfer Center. His writing credits include Omni and College Park magazines and The New York Times.
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