High-Performance Fibers 2011 agenda taking shape

CompositesWorld, publisher of High-Performance Composites and Composites Technology magazines, has announced that the agenda is nearly set for its High-Performance Fibers 2011 conference, which will be held Nov 9-10, 2011, at the Embassy Suites Charleston Hotel in Charleston, S.C., USA. This year’s conference chair will be Dana Granville, senior materials engineer at the Weapons & Materials Research Directorate of Army Research Laboratory (AMSRD).

Keynoting this year’s conference will be Dr. James Zheng, chief scientist for project manager - Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment, Program Executive Office - U.S. Army. Zheng’s presentation is entitled, "Issues with High Performance Fibers in Ballistic Applications."

Zheng obtained his bachelor's degree in Analytical Chemistry and master's degree in Solid State Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Purdue University in 1991. He holds three patents and has published more than 40 scientific papers. Zheng was the recipient of the U.S, Army's AMC Greatest Invention Award in 2002 for developing the current DOD standard body armor system, the Interceptor Multiple Threat Body Armor. He received the U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Medal Award in 2008 for "exceptional meritorious and superior technical achievement." In 2009, he received the Program Manager of the Year award from Office of Secretary Defense - Comparative Testing Office.

This international conference is designed for executives from leading manufacturers of high-performance fibers, such as p-aramids (Kevlar and Twaron), high-performance polyethylenes (HPPE, Spectra and Dyneema), boron, silicon carbide, specialty glasses like S-2 Glass, and other specialty fibers, to network with end users, such as OEMs, DoD and other research labs, and composites parts manufacturers. Discussions will cover the diverse business opportunities and technical challenges that lie ahead in high-growth applications such as body and vehicular armor, high-performance rope and cordage and flame resistant fibers, as well as in the blast-resistance, marine, aviation and aerospace markets.