Spring 2011 - The University of Akron
Spring 2011 - The University of Akron
Spring 2011 - The University of Akron
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( feATure sTory )<br />
UA Researcher Revolutionizes<br />
Rubber Recycling<br />
Scrap rubber has remained little<br />
more than, well, scrap — until now.<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Akron</strong> researcher<br />
Dr. Avraam Isayev developed an<br />
innovative rubber recovery technology<br />
expected to cause a major shift in<br />
rubber reprocessing for industrial use.<br />
Isayev, a distinguished pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong><br />
polymer engineering, and his student<br />
research team invented a unique rubber<br />
processing method using a novel<br />
technique, ultrasonic devulcanization.<br />
Isayev’s patented innovation allows<br />
the recovery <strong>of</strong> rubber materials,<br />
dr. avraam isayev which has been difficult, if not<br />
impossible, due to rubber’s vulcanized<br />
or crosslinked nature.<br />
Think scrap-tire heap.<br />
Isayev’s technology enables devulcanization, or breaking, <strong>of</strong><br />
the sulfur crosslink bonds in the rubber compound, permitting<br />
the once scrap material to be reprocessed and reused.<br />
Technology 15 years in the making<br />
“Extensive experimental and theoretical<br />
studies were conducted based on this and<br />
other related inventions,” said Isayev,<br />
noting that more than 50 articles and book<br />
chapters were published during the last<br />
15 years to develop this technology. <strong>The</strong><br />
National Science Foundation, NASA and a<br />
number <strong>of</strong> industrial companies funded the<br />
studies.<br />
Isayev founded Avraam Corp. to develop<br />
an industrial ultrasonic extruder to carry<br />
out the process <strong>of</strong> recovering rubber from<br />
tires, ro<strong>of</strong>ing materials, shoe soles and other<br />
industrially significant products. World<br />
leading athletic shoe supplier Nike Inc.<br />
funded the research.<br />
His cutting-edge research is attracting attention. NorTech,<br />
a regional nonpr<strong>of</strong>it technology-based economic development<br />
organization and catalyst for growing Northeast Ohio’s emerging<br />
technology industries, selected the development as a winner <strong>of</strong> its<br />
<strong>2011</strong> Advanced Materials Innovation Award Feb. 24.<br />
Isayev received a Master <strong>of</strong> Science in Chemical Engineering<br />
from the Azerbaijan Institute <strong>of</strong> Oil and Chemistry in Baku in<br />
1964. He also received a Master <strong>of</strong> Science degree in Applied<br />
Mathematics from the Institute <strong>of</strong> Electronic Machine Building<br />
in Moscow in 1965. In 1970, he earned his Ph. D. in Polymer<br />
Engineering from the Institute <strong>of</strong> Petrochemical Synthesis <strong>of</strong> the<br />
USSR Academy <strong>of</strong> Sciences in Moscow.<br />
He has edited four books and has been issued 23 patents;<br />
published 190 papers in referred journals, 26 papers in books,<br />
five papers in encyclopedias, and 104 in referred conference<br />
proceedings. Isayev’s publications have received over 2,500<br />
citations according to the Science Citation Index, and his patents<br />
have received over 200 U.S. patent citations according to the IBM<br />
Patent Server.<br />
He has presented 225 papers at the national and international<br />
conferences, including plenary, keynote and invited lectures, and<br />
109 seminars over the world.<br />
A M AgA z in e for A lu M ni & f rie n ds <strong>of</strong> T h e u ni v e r siT y <strong>of</strong> A k ron w w w. ua k ron. edu<br />
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