l’actualité chimique canadienne canadian chemical news ACCN
JUne | juin • 2008 • Vol. 60, No./no 6
SPORTS Natural Vs. Synthetic Materialsin
Hockey
Questioning
Q-Ray
The Scoop on
Sporting Goods
hot skates Richard W. Pound on Doping
Better Batteries for
Hybrid Vehicles CompetitivE Apparel
ACCN
june | juin • 2008 • Vol. 60, No./no 6
A publication of the CIC | Une publication de l’ICC
Ta bl e o f C o n t e n t s | Ta bl e d e s m a t i è r e s
Guest Column Chroniqueur invité . . . . . . 2 Doping Richard W. Pound, OC
Ar ticles
12
Flip Shot
16
Winning Materials
20
Competitive Apparel
24
From Prius to Sports Car
News Nouvelles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The face-off between natural materials and synthetic developments in the history of hockey Anne Campbell, MCIC
Regulatory News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Industrial Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chemfusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Joe Schwarcz, MCIC
Recognition reconnaissance . . . . . . . .
26
Guest Column Chroniqueur invité . . . . .
27
Recognition reconnaissance . . . . . . . .
28
The scientific scoop on sporting goods Jennifer Clarke, MCIC
Sally Gray
Magnetohydrodynamics for better battery packs for hybrid vehicles Robert N. O’Brien, FCIC
Employment wanted demandes d’emploi . . 34
Events Événements . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
Cover: Puck luck. Mustang’s goalie Korry Leroux saves the day. Photo by Krista Leroux.
Guest Column Chroniqueur invité
Managing Editor/Directrice de la rédaction Heather Dana Munroe Graphic Designer/Infographiste Krista Leroux
Doping
I
have this neat idea of what may prove to be a new line of scientific inquiry. Much is known about the chemical effects of drug use and almost as much is known about the side effects, especially over time, of such usage. Almost unexplored, however, is the link between drug use and psychological denial and outright lying, despite overwhelming empirical evidence that they are all but inseparable. The lay literature (a description charitably extended to include newspapers), governmental hearing records, and criminal courts are replete with examples for the dedicated researcher to examine, to digest (however unappetizing the fare may be), and to develop preliminary hypotheses, later to become theories and, eventually, peer-reviewed publications, all leading to academic tenure, fame, promotion, invited-speaker circuits, and well-padded curricula vitae. Seemingly inevitably, the direct effects of anabolic steroid use include terminal acne, testicles reduced to the size of jelly beans, sperm counts of zero, and continual rage, along with the side effects of chronic lies and denial. So rare is the absence of these side effects that the occasional occurrence can be statistically ignored without damage to the principal line of investigation. Almost as interesting as the outright denial, even in the face of scientifically reliable chemical analysis of urine or blood samples, would be a compendium of the explanations of why the tests must be wrong or why the substances were in the possession of the person confronted: • That cannot possibly be my sample. • Someone spiked my toothpaste. • I had a meal of uncastrated wild pig. • It was a CIA plot.
L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
Editorial Board/Conseil de rédaction Joe Schwarcz, MCIC, chair/président Cathleen Crudden, MCIC John Margeson, MCIC Milena Sejnoha, MCIC Bernard West, MCIC
Richard W. Pound, OC • Someone switched my drink at the party in the bar. • My natural T/E ratio is 11:1. • The second blood population in my system is the result of a vanishing twin. • They must have been in that shampoo I drank. These make the willing suspension of disbelief in theatre a mere party trick. Yet the excuses proliferate and spread like viruses throughout the international sport environment. The lying is so ritualistic that it would be almost disappointing if it were not trotted out to be shopped around in the media, often supported by menacing lawyers ready to sue anyone who dares to lift even an eyebrow when the declarations of innocence are proffered. The legal menace generally disappears when the legal tender runs out, but the lies remain, until they are repeated to federal agents. When that happens, things take a turn for the worse, perhaps leading to criminal prosecution, as Barry Bonds and Marion Jones have already discovered. Roger Clemens is waiting to discover whether he may face similar charges. It is a shame to see any athlete going to prison for sport-related offences, when all that fellow sportsmen want is to have them removed from the competitions so that not everyone has to become a chemical stockpile to be successful in sport. The pathology of their actions, however, appears to be that the … Continued on p. 27
Editorial Office/Bureau de la rédaction 130, rue Slater Street, Suite/bureau 550 Ottawa, ON K1P 6E2 613-232-6252 • Fax/Téléc. 613-232-5862 editorial@accn.ca • www.accn.ca Advertising/Publicité advertising@accn.ca Subscription Rates/Tarifs d’abonnement Non CIC members/Non-membres de l’ICC : in/au Canada CAN$55; outside/à l’extérieur du Canada US$50. Single copy/Un exemplaire CAN$8 or US$7. L’Actualité chimique canadienne/Canadian Chemical News (ACCN) is published 10 times a year by the Chemical Institute of Canada / est publié 10 fois par année par l’Institut de chimie du Canada. www.cheminst.ca. Recommended by the Chemical Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, and the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the official position of the Institute or of the societies that recommend the magazine. Recommandé par l’Institut de chimie du Canada, la Société canadienne de chimie, la Société canadienne de génie chimique et la Société canadienne de technologie chimique. Les opinions exprimées ne reflètent pas nécessairement la position officielle de l’Institut ou des sociétés qui soutiennent le magazine. Change of Address/Changement d’adresse circulation@cheminst.ca Printed in Canada by Gilmore Printing Services Inc. and postage paid in Ottawa, ON./ Imprimé au Canada par Gilmore Printing Services Inc. et port payé à Ottawa, ON. Publications Mail Agreement Number/ No de convention de la Poste-publications : 40021620. (USPS# 0007-718) Indexed in the Canadian Business Index and available on-line in the Canadian Business and Current Affairs database. / Répertorié dans la Canadian Business Index et accessible en ligne dans la banque de données Canadian Business and Current Affairs. ISSN 0823-5228
Richard W. Pound, OC, is chancellor of McGill University. He is also the former president of the World Anti-doping Agency and former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee.
www.accn.ca
News Nouvelles
U of S Engineering Alliances The College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) recently sent a delegation of about 15 people on a two-week excursion to India, but it was hardly a holiday. The delegates were all from engineering departments as well as the Saskatchewan Research Council. They visited 16 different Indian institutions as part of an initiative to create new international partnerships and to build on those already in place. Ajay Dalai, MCIC, professor of chemical engineering, said that because the college depends largely on foreign students, faculty, and scientists to achieve local research objectives, such delegations are invaluable. “I personally see lots of potential with the institutes that we visited. I think those are the premiere institutes in India, and they are excited to work with us as well,” said Dalai. Dalai said the delegates met with their counterparts at various institutions, spending their time either networking informally or exploring possible agreements for research partnerships and student exchanges. A number of delegates also gave formal presentations while in India, advocating the strong provincial and federal research centres and resources already located at the U of S. The college sets aside about $150,000 annually to fund international activities. U of S has identified three countries—India, China, and Germany—on which to focus its resources. The dean of engineering, Janusz Kozinski, was part of a campus-wide delegation that travelled to China in the fall of 2007, and he established various partnerships during that trip. Dalai said those relationships, as well as the ones now in place in India, have given the college a solid footing in the increasingly competitive realm of international partnerships for academic institutions.
Facebook Genetics In 1953, colour televisions were just hitting stores in North America, and Watson and Crick announced that they had figured out the double-helix structure of DNA. Fiftyfive years later, you can watch colour TV on your cell phone and buy a personal genome sequence for less than $1,000. Genome Alberta, a not-for-profit research organization located in Calgary, AB, has marked the anniversary of the double helix and of the sequencing of the human genome in April 2003 by offering virtual genes as gifts on Facebook. Twelve gene gifts are available to share with your e-pals by going to www.facebook.genomealberta.ca, and there will be more genes available soon.
Each gene gift has a brief description of the gene and its function, a special icon designed for the project, and links to more information. Advances in genetics and genomics have opened up tremendous opportunities in medicine, agriculture, nutrition, and energy production, and this Facebook feature provides an entertaining learning opportunity to the masses. All humans are 99 percent genetically identical, but this is a chance to take a look at the pieces that make us unique. For links to the Facebook information or to see the genes without having to join Facebook, visit www.genomealberta.ca/facebook. Genome Alberta
Kirk Sibbald, University of Saskatchewan On Campus News
Clarification Pierre Laszlo was mistakenly identified as Peter on p.14 in the April 2008 issue of ACCN.
Illustration generously provided by Genome Alberta
Magiques ou Toxiques? Marie-ève Larouche from the Séminaire de Chicoutimi dazzles audiences with her presentation on energy drinks at the Canada-Wide Science Fair held May 10 to 18, 2008 at the University of Ottawa.
Photo by Heather Dana Munroe
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News
News Nouvelles destiné aux piles à combustible sous forme d’hydrates. En collaboration avec Virginia Walker, biologiste à Queen’s University, et Peter Englezos, MCIC, ingénieur chimiste à The University of British Columbia, les chercheurs du CNRC vérifient aussi comment les composés naturels des microorganismes inhibent la formation des hydrates de gaz. En effet, il arrive que ces derniers obturent les gazoducs, avec l’énorme problème que cela entraîne pour l’industrie pétrolière et gazière, qui dépense des milliards de dollars chaque année pour l’empêcher. Les bouchons d’hydrates gelés ne font pas que bloquer le gazoduc, ils peuvent endommager la conduite à leur dégel. Par ailleurs, le CNRC examine la possibilité de capter et de stocker le dioxyde de carbone dans des hydrates, ce qui atténuerait l’accumulation de ce gaz à effet de serre dans l’atmosphère. « Le dioxyde de carbone fait partie des gaz qui prennent assez facilement la forme d’un hydrate. Les scientifiques proposent de stocker une grande quantité d’hydrates de CO2 sur le plancher océanique où ils resteraient stables, explique encore Chris Ratcliffe. Reste à savoir si la chose est réalisable. » This story is available in English from NRC Newslink at www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/highlights/ 2008/0804hydrates_e.html. Conseil national de recherches Canada
Glace brûlante d’énergie De nombreux pays aux réserves limitées de combustibles fossiles cherchent comment exploiter les hydrates de gaz naturel — cette « glace de méthane » qu’on trouve là où existe le pergélisol ainsi que sur le plancher océanique. « Les hydrates de gaz naturel constitueraient une énorme source d’hydrocarbures si on réussit à en extraire le méthane à un coût assez bas », affirme Chris Ratcliffe, MCIC, de l’Institut Steacie des sciences moléculaires du CNRC (ISSMCNRC). « Selon certains, les hydrates de gaz naturel renfermeraient plus d’énergie que
L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
toutes les sources connues de pétrole, de gaz naturel et de charbon. » Les scientifiques du CNRC, dont Chris Ratcliffe et John Ripmeester, MCIC, étudient les hydrates de gaz sous plusieurs angles. Ainsi, l’équipe a analysé les échantillons d’un puits expérimental, dans le delta du Mackenzie, au Canada, un projet piloté par Ressources Naturelles Canada. Un hydrate de gaz est un solide cristallin fait de « cages » aqueuses renfermant chacune une molécule de gaz tel le méthane. À haute pression, les hydrates de méthane restent « gelés » même si la température dépasse le point de fusion de la glace, comme l’illustre cette « boule de neige en feu ». Un autre sujet de recherche est le stockage de l’hydrogène
Microbix to Meet Growing Demand Microbix Biosystems Inc. has purchased a new manufacturing plant in the Toronto, ON, area that will triple its capacity to produce virology products. The state-of-the-art manufacturing plant will be the new home to Microbix’s base business. This business grew 54 percent during the first quarter of fiscal 2008. The production and sale of virology products continues to provide critical funding and technology that help support the company’s development of large-market products in the fields of biotherapeutics, vaccines, and animal reproduction technologies. Camford Chemical Report
Photo courtesy of National Research Council Canada
News Nouvelles
Hydro-Québec : commanditaire présentateur du Centre d’arts Orford Hydro-Québec est heureuse d’annoncer qu’elle devient le commanditaire présentateur de l’ensemble des activités du Centre d’arts Orford et ce, pour les trois prochaines années. Par ce geste, Hydro-Québec réitère sa confiance au Centre d’arts Orford et poursuit son engagement des dix dernières années envers ce haut lieu de culture, de formation et de diffusion de la musique. La participation d’Hydro-Québec prendra donc un tout nouveau visage au cours des trois prochaines années et couvrira tant les activités de l’académie de musique que celles reliées aux arts visuels et au Festival Orford 2008. Par le passé, Hydro-Québec a accordé son appui au Centre d’arts Orford en participant notamment à la grande campagne de financement 20052007 et en assurant la commandite annuelle des activités estivales, dont la série de spectacles Les concerts sur la route d’Orford. Hydro-Québec s’est donnée comme responsabilité de favoriser l’épanouissement et le rayonnement du patrimoine culturel au profit de l’ensemble de la société québécoise. Ainsi, chaque année, Hydro-Québec appuie plus de 300 organisations culturelles à travers tout le Québec. Hydro-Québec
Women Are “Greener” Than Men? The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has staged a battle of the sexes to develop a revealing portrait of why and how Ontarians save electricity. The year-long research and analysis project found that a total of four categories could be used to describe the attitudes of just about all Ontarians to energy conservation— Green Champions, Pragmatic Conservers, Budget-Driven, and Live-for-Today. The research, conducted by Environics Research Group, shows that seven out of ten of the most idealistic conservers or Green Champions are women. Green Champions comprise almost a quarter of the population (23 percent). Men predominately fall into the Pragmatic Conservers category. They have been judged to be willing to take everyday conservation measures but will not make sacrifices. Pragmatic Conservers make up 31 percent of the population. The OPA is the organization charged with stimulating and coordinating the province’s electricity conservation efforts. It is also
Illustration from the Kids Corner Web site at www.everykilowattcounts.com reprinted with permission from the Ontario Power Authority
using the research findings to develop its conservation programs. The OPA has posted the “Electric Personality Quiz” at www. everykilowattcounts.com so that electricity consumers can find out what kind of conserver they are and receive tips on how to move up to the next category. The results have helped to shape activities during the first Energy Conservation Week held May 25 to 31, 2008. Energy Conservation Week was a province-wide initiative coordinated by the OPA in cooperation with partners including the Ministry of Energy, the Independent Electricity System Operator, and the Electricity Distributors Association. It combined awareness building, the dissemination of practical information about energy conservation, and encouragement for the implementation of specific measures that will help Ontario better manage its summer peak and build towards a “culture of conservation.” The Energy Conservation Week Web site www.energyconservationweek.ca is a dynamic resource that features tips on how to conserve energy, and much more. The Ontario Power Authority
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News
News Nouvelles
Turn One Computer into Ten Modern desktop computers sit idle virtually the entire day while we read or type. Userful Corporation, the worldwide leader in public computing, leverages this unused computing power to create an environmentally efficient alternative to traditional desktop computing. Up to ten users can work on a single computer by simply attaching extra monitors, mice, and keyboards. In the past year, this software has saved 29,000* tons of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of taking more than 5,000 cars off the road!
L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
“Computer hardware production and disposal is one of the fastest growing threats to our environment. Powering and cooling computers is an increasing contributor to global warming,” says Timothy Griffin, Userful president. “It feels good to help people around the world go green.” Userful desktops have been deployed around the world with a typical configuration of six stations per computer. Reducing the number of computers in use has additional earth-friendly benefits. Electronic waste is an increasing problem globally due to the quick obsolescence of electronics. This is compounded by the fact that computer waste is high in toxic materials such as
heavy metals and flame-retardant plastics, which easily leach into ground water and bio-accumulate. Using Userful products can reduce electronic waste by up to 80 percent. Need another PC around the house, office or lab? Userful currently provides a free version of its innovative software at http://userful.com/ greenpc. The free two-user licenses distributed under this promotion enable users with an extra video card (or a dual-head video card) to add an extra workstation. *Based on 526 kWh/PC/year for operation; 1818 kWh/ PC for production; electricity generated at 1.55 lbs of CO2/kWh; and 11,560 lbs of CO2 per car per year.
Userful Corporation
News Nouvelles
Researcher Works Behind The Screens More liquid crystal displays populate the planet than humans, yet few understand how they workso few can improve them. Luckily, chemist Torsten Hegmann, MCIC, can do both. He is a leader in understanding how certain nanoparticle composites can improve the properties of liquid crystal mixtures used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). His research was recently on the cover of the journal Advanced Functional Materials and you can read more about future publications at www. home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~hegmannt/. There are a few types of LCDs, each making use of different liquid crystal molecules and mixtures. Most liquid crystal molecules used are rod shaped and prefer to neatly align in manners specific to the display medium they find themselves in. And all respond to electric fields. Most displays, such as computer screens and televisions, are backlit. Each screen is divided into picture elements called pixels. Each pixel has its own transistor and is covered with the liquid crystal mixture as in active matrix displays. The backlight shines through a pixel when the liquid crystal molecules occupying it are turned “on,” which occurs when an electric field causes the molecule to change its alignment. When no field is present, the liquid crystal molecules found in certain expensive televisions align in a vertical fashion. An applied electric field jerks them into a horizontal array. Vertically aligned, the liquid crystal is “off” and lets no transmitted light pass from behind. Horizontally switched, a passageway opens and the light streams forth, hitting what’s called a colour mask. The precise positioning of the liquid crystal film determines how much light transmits through this mask, so improved control of the array will improve the qualities of the display. Hegmann has learned to do just that. Hegmann’s lab at the University of Manitoba is investigating how new nanoparticle composites can help improve the properties of displays. He has so far examined gold and silver nanoparticles with a core measuring one to five nanometers. And as in many other aspects of life, gold trumps silver.
By introducing gold nanoparticles, Hegmann can manipulate the alignment of the liquid crystals, tune their temperature, and alter their electric field response, all while using less voltage. Indeed, a gold nanoparticle (the bigger the better) reduces the threshold voltage to about 60 percent. By putting different hydrocarbon chains on the particle’s surface, the required voltage can be further reduced to about 15 to 25 percent depending on the temperature. “That’s a massive reduction in threshold voltage,” Hegmann says. The larger gold nanoparticles work well because they can be charged like a capacitor. When added to the liquid crystal mixture, most metal nanoparticles get expelled to the interface, and along the way they manipulate the alignment of the liquid crystal. The gold bit then sits by the electrodes and soaks
up charge. This, Hegmann believes, creates a stronger local field without the addition of more power. Hegmann is also working with quantum dots made of cadmium telluride.They are luminescent, and their emission wavelengths can be controlled by the quantum-dot size and coating to further reduce threshold voltage. Since the backlight consumes most of a display’s energy, luminescent nanoparticles would be a boon to industry. “Ultimately, we’re trying to get to the point where a company can come to us with a liquid crystal mixture and we, having gathered fundamental knowledge on many different nanoparticles, can tell them which particle would work best.” Sean Moore, University of Manitoba Bulletin
Harnessing the Sun. Lecturer Harry B. Gray (left) with Dalhousie University’s Neil Burford, FCIC.
The department of chemistry at Dalhousie University is pleased to honour the contributions of the late Walter J. Chute with an annual Distinguished Lectureship that carries his name. Chute joined Dalhousie in 1943, served as the sixth and last Head of Chemistry from 1954 to 1969 and remained a member of the department until his death in 1991. Harry B. Gray of the California Institute of Technology visited Dalhousie March 27 and 28, 2008, to present the 27th W. J. Chute Distinguished Lectures. The public lecture, “Powering the Planet with Solar Energy,” attracted a packed and interested audience. Gray offered intriguing explanations of the latest concepts and challenges in efficiently harnessing solar energy. In both the public lecture and in his research seminar, “The Currents of Life—Electron Flow Through Proteins,” Gray emphasized the important role of chemistry in addressing major problems of our time.
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News
2008 National Engineering Employees’ Survey Launched
Lancement du sondage national 2008 sur les emplois en génie
Where are the engineering and technology jobs? What
Dans quels secteurs se trouvent les emplois relevant de l’ingénierie et de la technologie? Quelles sont les formations professionnelles qui offrent les meilleures perspectives de carrière? Quels sont les enjeux que les diplômés étrangers en ingénierie et en technologie doivent affronter?
kinds of professional development training are most beneficial? What kinds of challenges are international engineering and technology graduates confronting? You can help to answer these questions by participating in the 2008 National Survey. This year’s National Survey will collect information on career patterns, skill needs and how engineering jobs are changing. There is also a special section in the survey for internationally educated engineers. The 2008 National Survey was developed jointly by Engineers Canada and the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists. The 2008 National Survey follows on the 2002 survey which more than 20,000 engineers and other engineering technology workers completed. Results from the 2008 National Survey will be published later this year. Those results will be available to you at http://www.engineerscanada.ca/etlms/index.cfm It takes about 20 minutes to complete the National Survey. Your confidentiality is absolutely assured. Individual respondents cannot be identified through the survey. Take the National Survey now. Go to www.engineeringemployeesurvey.com. You can also bookmark the Web page and return to the survey at another time.
Vous pouvez nous aider à répondre à ces questions en participant au sondage national 2008. Faites-vous entendre! Le sondage national 2008 vise à recueillir et à analyser de l’information sur les plans de carrière, les besoins en formation professionnelle et l’évolution de l’emploi au sein des professions en ingénierie et en technologie. Le sondage comprend également une section spéciale pour les ingénieurs formés à l’étranger. Ingénieurs Canada et le Conseil canadien des techniciens et technologues ont joint leurs efforts pour entreprendre cette édition 2008 du sondage national. Ce nouveau sondage s’inscrit dans la lignée de celui de 2002, auquel plus de 20 000 ingénieurs, technologues et techniciens en génie ont participé. Les résultats du sondage national 2008 seront publiés ultérieurement dans le courant de l’année. Pour accéder au site Internet de l’Étude, vous pouvez entrer l’adresse suivante : www.engineerscanada.ca/etlms/f/. Il ne vous faudra qu’une vingtaine de minutes pour remplir le questionnaire. Nous garantissons la confidentialité de vos renseignements personnels. Aucun répondant ne pourra être identifié individuellement à l’aide de ce sondage. N’attendez pas pour participer au sondage national 2008. Visitez : http://engineeringemployeesurvey.com/ surveys/engineerf.html Vous pouvez également placer l’adresse du site dans vos signets et participer au sondage à un autre moment.
Engineers Canada and the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists
L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
regulatory news Canada’s Consumer Product Safety Act The government announced two new major pieces of legislation to modernize the regulatory regime for consumer products in Canada. Canada’s Consumer Product Safety Act, C-52, will create prohibitions with respect to the manufacturing, importing, selling, advertising, packaging, and labelling of consumer products—with particular emphasis on those that are a danger to human health and/or safety. The bill also proposes to establish certain measures that will make it easier to identify whether a consumer product is a danger to human health or safety and, if so, to more effectively prevent or address the danger in a timely fashion. The bill has companion legislation that applies to the Food and Drugs Act and amends other acts relating to foods, drugs, and therapeutic products. It proposes to modernize the regulatory system for foods and therapeutic products by strengthening the oversight of the benefits and risks of therapeutic products throughout their life cycle, to support effective compliance and enforcement actions, and to enable a greater transparency and openness of the regulatory system. Canada’s Chemical Producers’ Association
Reach Comes into Effect The new European program for the Review, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) soon comes into effect. Canadian companies involved in supply chains exporting to Europe should be aware of REACH’s new requirements. Canadian exporters should ensure that their European clients have or are planning to fulfill their obligations under REACH. REACH applies not only to chemical companies, but to all sectors using chemicals. Companies must pre-register most of their chemical substances between June 1 and December 1, 2008. If a manufacturer or importer of a chemical fails to pre-register by December 1, 2008, that entity cannot continue to manufacture or import the chemical until a full REACH registration dossier has been submitted. As part of its outreach program to raise awareness about REACH, the European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency hosted a seminar entitled, “REACH Workshop—Final countdown to pre-registration and registration of chemicals” on April 14, 2008. The documents and audiovisual presentations from that event are available at http://ec.europa. eu/enterprise/reach/events_en.htm. European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency
IndustrialBriefs Brian Baarda has been appointed vice-president, operations of Catalyst Paper Corporation, and Brian Johnston has been appointed vice-president, operations. Both appointments are effective immediately. Catalyst also announced the retirement of Ron Buchhorn, senior vice-president, operations. Eagle Rock Exploration Ltd. is pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Bell as vice-president, engineering. Haemacure Corporation announced the appointment of two senior managers to its management team—Dawn Benson as director of quality assurance and quality control and Kenneth P. Smith as director of manufacturing. ALERT B&C Corporation announced the appointment of David Bokobza to the position of director of product development. Labopharm Inc. announced that Claire Brullé has been appointed senior vice-president and chief medical officer. Zongshen PEM Power Systems Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Frank Chen as chief financial officer. Aegera Therapeutics Inc. has announced the appointment of two experienced biotechnology and financial executives to its board of directors—Jeremy Curnock Cook , executive chair and founder of BioScience Managers Limited, and Gary Littlejohn, managing director of Desjardins Securities.
SFK Pulp Fund announced the appointment of Pierre Gabriel Côté to the position of president and CEO of SFK Pulp, effective July 21, 2008. MIGENIX Inc., a clinical-stage developer of drugs for infectious diseases, has appointed Pieter Dorsman to its board of directors. Suroco Energy Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Travis Doupe as vice-president, finance and chief financial officer of the corporation, subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News
Chemfusion Joe Schwarcz, MCIC
Cavorting with Q-Ray
W
ell, sometimes justice does triumph. The Q-Ray Ionized Bracelet has been declared to be bunk by a U.S. court. Its promoters have been ordered to repay at least $22.5 million in “ill-gotten gains” to consumers who had purchased the product for its reputed health benefits, which according to Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow, do not exist. You have probably seen the infomercial. A bunch of happy people cavort
around wearing a metallic loop tipped with two little balls around their wrists. Stories abound about restored energy, improved muscle flexibility, better athletic performance, and relief from cancer pain. And how does the bracelet accomplish these miracles? By rebalancing our body’s energy. We are told about biomagnetic alpha and beta waves that normally circulate through vital centres and that when such circulation is cut off, bioelectric alterations and ionic imbalances result. The special terminals on the bracelet, as well as its circular form, facilitate the discharge of excess positive ions and restore balance. What utter claptrap! And the promoters even had the audacity to refer to Rudolf Hertz and Michael Faraday, two of the greatest scientists ever, as having laid down the principles for the activity of the Q-Ray bracelet. They, of course, had nothing to do with such lunacy. To further buttress his claims of the miraculous properties of the bracelet, Andrew Park, the president of the company, even invoked traditional Oriental medicine, claiming that like acupuncture, yoga and taichi, the Q‑Ray Ionized Bracelet is based on restoring the body’s healthy state of “Chi,” so you will feel and perform at your best and have more energy to lead an active lifestyle. Park certainly led an active lifestyle, convincing multitudes to lay out anywhere from $60 to $250 for a piece of inactive metal. Finally, the Federal Trade Commission took him to task and asked for evidence. Park had none. Indeed, the only study done on the Q-Ray was carried out at the prestigious
Mayo Clinic where it was shown to have no effect. At Park’s trial, he was asked to define what he meant by an “ionized bracelet” to which the hapless marketer replied that he could not but had picked the term because it was simple and easy to remember. He rambled on with more nonsense, allowing the court to reach the conclusion that his testimony on ionization was “contradictory and full of obfuscation” and that “he is a clever marketer, but a poor witness.” That there is no such thing as an ionized bracelet, that there is no “radio electrical resonance” in the human body, or that illness is not caused by an overabundance of positive ions in the body will not prevent some believers from maintaining that their life was turned around by wearing this preposterous piece of costume jewelry. As, I’ve said many times, the placebo effect is the most powerful effect in medicine. And maybe it works even better if you shell out $250 for a piece of “biometal” that claims to increase your “bioenergy.” Park will pay heavily for his misdeeds, but what about the inventor of this miracle? It is said to be Manuel Polo, a chiropractor living the good life on the island of Mallorca. Seems to me he should be bent out of shape too.
Popular science writer Joe Schwarcz, MCIC, is the director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society. He hosts the Dr. Joe Show on Montréal’s radio station CJAD and Toronto’s CFRB. The broadcast is available on the Web at www.CJAD.com. You can contact him at joe.schwarcz@mcgill.ca.
ACCN 2008 July/August The Changing Face of the Chemical Enterprise September Geochemistry October Climate Change November/December Genetics Juillet/août la chimie : une industrie en changement Septembre La géochimie Octobre Le changement climatique Novembre/décembre La génétique Submit your ideas to | Envoyez vos idées à editorial@accn.ca.
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Flip Shot The faceoff between natural materials and synthetic developments in the history of hockey Anne Campbell, MCIC
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Photo by Krista Leroux
F
or Canadians, there’s no contest. Hockey rules. A close look behind the boards reveals the impact that the chemical industry has had on the world of hockey. The National Hockey League (NHL) is yet another arena dominated by advances in chemical technology. It’s the late 1800s, and dedicated players from Nova Scotia and Quebec are braving icy winters outdoors to launch Canada’s journey with the game of hockey. On frozen ponds, these pioneers used sticks carved from trees to shoot pucks fashioned from wood or stones. We enjoy the same game today with advanced ice surfaces, vulcanized rubber pucks, and composite sticks. Technological progress has brought an increasing shift from natural to synthetic materials in hockey equipment. Changes are usually made in deference to improved performance. But are synthetic materials inherently better? Do modern players reach for technologically advanced equipment just because they can? Sixty-one by twenty-six metres. Fifty thousand litres of water. The NHL rink is substantially different from the backyard rinks found across Canada today. Growing up in Canada often means waiting for the local pond to freeze once winter arrives. Then neighbourhood pickup games begin. The rinks found in pro-sport arenas are constructed during any season. The process begins with just a slab of concrete with pipes running underneath it. The concrete is cooled to between -7.7 and -9.0 degrees Celsius by a compressor sending refrigerant fluid, commonly a saline solution or methanol, through the pipes. Water freezes instantly upon contact with the concrete at this temperature. The ice is built up in layers—in some cases using an ice resurfacer with water tanks. Mists of water are sprayed onto the concrete leaving a layer of ice two millimetres thick. Ultimately, the ice is two to three centimetres thick. Any thicker and the top layer will not stay frozen—any thinner and the skate blades
Hockey Heats Up Is it any surprise that Wayne Gretzky owns a company proposing to make Canada’s favourite sport “more fun for hockey players and more exciting for fans?” That’s a quote from Dhiren Master, president of Thermablade, the company that brings us the heated hockey skate blade. “Thermablade uses state-of-the-art technology ... to slightly heat the hockey skate blade thanks to electric energy supplied by a battery,” explains Albertan Tory Weber, inventor of the blade. He adds that the heat transfer allows an increase of the layer of water between the blade and the ice, reducing the friction between the blade and the surface of the rink. The technology offers many proven physiological and performance benefits for hockey players, including a dramatic reduction in gliding friction and starting resistance, an overall increase in stamina, and an overall decrease in fatigue. Thermablade is currently being tested by players from the National Hockey League. This heated hockey skate blade is made at the main IPL plant in St-Damien, QC, in a unique production area that it is shaped like a hockey rink. The space, developed for $1.3 million, is entirely devoted to this project. Founded in 1939, IPL Inc. is a leading North American producer of injection- and extrusion-moulded plastic products. For more information on IPL, visit www.ipl-plastics.com. For more information on Thermablade and to find a dealer near you, visit www.thermablade.com. IPL Inc.
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News 13
will slice through. In accordance with the NHL rule book, all official markings are painted on. White powdered paint is mixed with water and sprayed on a middle layer of ice. It freezes rather than drying, creating white ice. Face-off circles, lines and the goal crease are manually painted on next. A metal-dioxide-based paint that is non-toxic and biodegradable is used. The ice can be melted and drained off at the end of the season without harming the environment. William Shakespeare’s Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream flitted from the fairy world causing mischief along the way. Is it possible that the name of our small, quick hockey puck (that is not always where you expect it) was derived from this satyr? Advancement came quickly when in 1879 at McGill University the wooden puck was replaced with a vulcanized rubber puck. It’s likely that the original wooden pucks were heavy, did not glide well on ice, or left too many splinters in the opponents’ foreheads. Today’s pucks are chemically composed of a handful of materials, all leading to improvement in its functionality. Natural rubber is mixed with antioxidant materials, oils, sulfur, and carbon black as filler. The antioxidants help protect the rubber against high temperatures and provide a longer life span. We’re a lot less likely to switch from a broken piece of wood to a clump of manure during the game. One type of oil blends the antioxidants with rubber. Another type seals the rubber, giving it low rigidity. Once cured with sulfur at high temperatures, the oil allows for a higher degree of rigidity. The rubber is cured with sulfur, accelerators, and heat. The sulfur atoms add themselves to carbon atoms in polyisoprene (the polymer that is natural rubber), enabling the polymer chains to crosslink together by way of the sulfur bridges. This vulcanized rubber has increased elasticity, is harder, more durable, and immune to extreme temperatures. Pucks are imprinted with dimples on the outside surface during the final compression to
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increase friction between the puck and hockey sticks. This friction allows the player to have greater puck control. Pucks are frozen before games to reduce the bounce on the ice. The hockey stick is the most chemically diverse area of hockey. Wood. Aluminum. Fiberglass. Kevlar®. Titanium. Graphite. Players today can have sticks completely crafted to maximize their own skills. Contrary to the evolution of the puck, natural wood is still being used for hockey sticks even by some professional players. Mississauga-born Ottawa Senators centre, Jason Spezza, is one of a handful of NHL players still using a wooden stick. Spezza opts for the heavier wooden stick because it can allow greater puck control, highlighting
his puck handling and precise passing abilities. The old school sticks were handcrafted from mulberry to give the desired flexibility and strength. The wooden stick bends well to give a good curve. Of course, it’s all dependent on the chemistry between the stick and the individual player. The ever-popular composite stick can be made of any number of materials, allowing the player to take advantage of the distinct benefits that each have to offer. Fine strands of glass woven together give fiberglass the strength to limit wear. Layers of graphite woven together give the stick strength and rigidity. A shaft made entirely of aluminum or titanium is also an option. Aluminum is inexpensive and lighter than wood. Titanium
is expensive and strong, comparing closely to Kevlar. Kevlar, from the group of aramids (aromatic polyamides), is a strong, lightweight material destined for the sports arena. The aromatic polyamides are polymers with amides linked directly to aromatic rings. The chain molecules are oriented along the fibre axis, giving way to extremely strong chemical bonds. Kevlar and other aramids are strong enough to absorb a bullet’s impact and are ideally suited for the rough-and-tumble world of professional hockey. The blades of the hockey sticks are usually constructed separately. First, a plastic core with hard foam pressed onto it and is then wrapped in crisscrossing layers of graphite. Blades are dipped in urethane to fill in any tiny imperfections on the surface that could considerably influence the direction of the errant and flighty puck. It’s been almost a century-and-a-half since the first frozen forays into hockey, and Canadian chemical technology has amplified the sport into the game it is today. In May 2008, the world turned its attention to the ice in Nova Scotia and Quebec where Team Canada played its first-ever World Championship at home. The stage was set on 15 layers of manufactured ice. High-performance pucks shot from an assortment of chemically diverse sticks—all of which made the players faster and more effective than ever. That’s chemical technology in action.
Ann e Campbell, MCIC, has an MA in chemistry from Brown University in Providence, RI. She is currently the CIC career services and student affairs officer and an ardent Ottawa Senators’ fan.
Hockey puck and scorecard courtesy of Canada’s Chemical Producers’ Association
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News  15
Winnin Materials The scientific scoop on sporting goods
Artificial turf
at the Matt Anthony Sports Field at the University of Ottawa Sports Complex, ON. Grass blades made of polyethylene are softer with lower slide resistance than traditional polypropylene and nylon grasses. Fill consists of silica sand, cryogenic styrene butadiene rubber granules, and reground running shoe soles called Nike grind. Photo by FieldTurf Inc.
Ski goggles made with liquid crystal fluid,
such as these Uvex UVision Magic ski goggles, contain an organic dye sandwiched between polyethylene terephthalate (PET) windows. Application of an electric field via a switch causes the liquid crystals to reorient. The process moves the organic dye, changing its optical properties and resulting in the attenuation of light. Photo courtesy of AlphaMicron Inc.
Kayak
enthusiasts revel in the Infiniti 155 TX kayak made of weather-guard capped acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) thermoformed plastic. Production with ABS is safer, less time-consuming, and more environmentally friendly than with fibreglass. The resulting kayak is lighter and more durable than a fibreglass one of equal size. Photo courtesy of Seaward Kayaks
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Snowshoes made with a 7075 Aluminum frame (like this Atlas
1225) weigh less than those made with a traditional wooden frame. Stainless steel crampons provide good grip on ice and are not found on wooden shoes. Duratek fabric decking consists of a nylon fabric with a PVC and Dupont Elvaloy blend coating. It’s lighter and offers more coverage for better flotation than traditional rawhide webbing.
Photo courtesy of Atlas Snow-Shoe Company
Fly-fishing
with this cross-linked fluorocarbon polymer fly-fishing line made from 100% polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) is pure pleasure. More waterproof and abrasion-resistant than nylon lines, it is more durable in harsh conditions. Fluorocarbon line sinks quickly, making it ideal for wet fly-fishing. It is also less visible in water than nylon lines, and therefore, less visible to fish! Photo courtesy of GAMMA Technologies
Track surfaces, like the 200m
Golf clubs like this Emc2
6-Iron feature 17-4 stainless steel heads and an E21Scandium Eagle One™ alloy shafts. Scandium has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than titanium, stainless steel (SS), aluminum and graphite. The clubs sport a good vibration dampening system. On average, shots are longer and more accurate than with titanium, SS or graphite shafts.
Mondo Super X indoor track in the Royal Military College field house in Kingston, ON, are made of rubber sheets composed of vulcanized natural and synthetic rubbers including butadiene styrene. Prefabricated sheets offer a more uniform thickness and colour than granulated rubber surfaces, as well as better energy return to athletes. Excessive use does not result in loose granules. Photo courtesy of the Kingston Military Community Sports Centre
Photo courtesy of Element 21 Golf
ACCN
Jennifer Clarke, MCIC
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Competitive Apparel W
hile athletes are training, pushing their finite bodies to accomplish apparently infinite objectives, similar competition presses on in the chemistry lab. Corporations are battling for position in the textile niche of sports apparel. Sports garments today take their first breath of life in laboratories. And there are dragons breathing fire over this competitive race— dragons from China, Taiwan, and India where abundant labourers enable these countries to dominate the textile industry because the rest of the world cannot compete with their low-priced fabric. Daily news reports of Canadian textile businesses closing their doors only serve to shape the remaining open doors. Survivors in the fabric industry are creating niches for themselves on the market by adding value to fibres not found in textiles from China. “China produces huge volumes of simple fabrics,” says Sébastien Couture, long-time member of the Canadian textile industry. “We do the opposite. We specialize in small and customized orders ready in a short turn-around time.” Couture is the R&D manager of Filspec Inc., a manufacturer of specialty natural or synthetic yarns and threads in Sherbrooke, QC. He speaks with enthusiasm about the changes in the industry. “There is a trend toward natural fibres and eco-friendly products,” he says. “There are an amazing number of fibres. Their combinations and properties are endless.”
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Sally Gray
Technical is “in” Technical sports apparel is a growing niche in the textile industry. Take swimsuits for example. Speedo’s Aqualab has recently set the sports world abuzz with a swimsuit every competitive swimmer has to have—even at the cost of $550. Indeed, Canada’s 400-metre medley relay swim team shaved an astounding three seconds from their previous national mark when they donned their new Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits for the first time at the CN Swim Trials in Montréal, QC, this past April. These full-length swimsuits jump-started athletes to set new records around the world since their introduction in February of this year. The lightweight polyurethane fibre is more drag-resistant because the seams are bonded by ultrasonic welding, allowing water to flow more easily over them. The suits also have built-in areas of compression, causing swimmers’ muscles to work more efficiently. Sports shops patronized by the average active Canadian offer a bedazzling array of different fabrics with specialized qualities. Gone from the sports retail outlets are the standard cotton-poly T-shirts. In their place are technical tees—high performance garments for athletic wear, constructed from both natural and synthetic fibres. The chemistry lab is indeed the saviour of Canada’s textile industry. It’s also the source of solutions for consumers demanding comfort, style, and environmentally friendly products.
Lululemon Athletica’s founder, Canadian Chip Wilson, is a self-declared textile technology guru. He delights in combing the world for new materials from which he can produce exciting new textiles. He has found plenty for the manufacturers of his athletic clothing. Soy and cow’s milk are two renewable resources now being explored for textile use. “Soyacel” products are already on the market—light, breathable, sturdy, and soft. Protein in oil from pressed soybeans is liquefied and extruded into long fibres that are cut, processed, and spun. Fibre from cow’s milk has been produced as well, but there are challenges in finding ways to fix dyes into this textile at a reasonable cost using eco-friendly processes. Expect to see more and more bamboo apparel on the racks. It’s biodegradable, absorbent, very soft, and has a cooling effect in hot weather. Bamboo apparel boasts some natural anti-bacterial properties. Carbon is good for filtering away moisture, and the bamboo fabric is developed through a carbonization process that invests the material with attributes that wick away perspiration. Bamboo is easy to grow, and the material doesn’t produce static. But this technical fibre has downsides. Though renewable, the bamboo has to be broken down in an energy-intensive process that requires large amounts of water. Although technical fibres offer an alternative to petroleum-based textiles, in some cases ecofriendly processing methods of the various raw materials for these technical fibres have yet to be developed. A useful fibre for clothing called Lyocell is purported to be an eco-friendly alternative to cotton. Better known by the trade name Tencel®, it is produced from cellulose, the main material in plant cells. Wood pulp is dissolved in N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide to create a solution called “dope,” which is pushed through a spinneret to form individual cellulose fibres. The new fibres are washed, the chemicals are retrieved from the water, and they are recycled. There is little by-product. The cellulose fibres are softer than cotton, strong, and absorbent—characteristics they share with other cellulosic fibres such as cotton, linen, ramie, and rayon. Lyocell is renewable, though trees grow slowly, but buyers beware. Other less eco-friendly fabrics, such as bamboo, can pose as Lyocell, and no one can tell the
Photo courtesy of Speedo™
difference, even under a microscope. All the cellulose fibres look the same.
Eco-friendly athletes To a consumer concerned about environmental degradation, the heralding of organic cotton fibres for athletic garments is a step forward. Mountain Equipment Co-operative (MEC), a manufacturer and retailer of athletic clothing in Canada and abroad, has been a leader in the movement to “go organic” in cottons. In the last few years, they have converted all their MEC-brand cotton clothing to an organically grown alternative. In 2005, they were among the top 25 global buyers of organic cotton fibre. They purchased 129,300 kg of raw material in that year and boasted about their avoidance of the use of 42,600 kg of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and defoliants as a result. Other corporations are looking into the same alternatives, but
is enjoying a revival today in the sports apparel industry. Long-sleeved t-shirts made of merino wool don’t hang around for long at outlets like Fresh Air Experience in Regina and St. Albert, SK. Selling quickly at $90, the tee is worn as a snug base layer along with the $85 pants that will debut this fall. The wool’s popularity is based on its excellent thermal and moisture-wicking properties, but also, surprisingly, on its softness. Measured in microns, the average diameter of a wool fibre found in the warm woolies that great-grandma used to wear was 25 scratchy microns and up. The super fine wool fibre from the merino sheep measures about 17 microns. Wool has an antibacterial property and will absorb 35 percent of its weight in body moisture, quickly releasing it as vapour. Catherine Heggtveit is the eastern Ontario representative for Sugoi Cycle Clothing Ltd., a Canadian-based manufacturer and distributor of athletic clothing. According to Heggtveit, summer marathon runners report finishing a race cool and dry while wearing short-sleeved merino wool tees. “Wool has a climate control property,” says Heggtveit. Ask the sheep! It is biodegradable and comes from a renewable resource, features that keep the green crowd happy. And one final advantage of fine wool is tighter weaves that improve the garment’s ultraviolet (UV) protection.
Cotton alternatives
Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits outperformed expectations at the CN Swim Trials in Montréal, QC. there are difficulties. Cotton gins are used to separate fibres from seeds, and the gins have to be thoroughly cleaned before processing organic cotton so the residual pesticides in the standard cotton won’t be transferred on to the raw, organic cotton. That costs. Good, fast dyes are not all environmentally friendly. The use of massive amounts of fresh water in the processing of organic cotton is another area for concern. Merino sheep herds from New Zealand and Australia are renowned for their very fine wool. Thanks to merino sheep, wool
Two ancient textiles, hemp and ramie, maintain their position on the racks of today’s sports clothing stores. Hemp fibre, produced from the Cannabis plant family, is three times stronger than cotton and can be easily grown organically in most places. The hemp textile tends to be naturally resistant to mould, bacteria, heat, and ultraviolet light. Most hemp grown for textiles is now produced in China, but the clothing for athletic wear is found in Canada. It is characteristically breathable, durable, and soft. Egyptian mummies were wrapped in ramie, and the fabric is also found in sports shops today. It comes from the stem of a very prolific, but not prickly, member of the nettle family. It is strong, resistant to insects, light, bacteria, and mildew and is easily dyed. It holds its shape and doesn’t shrink. However, ramie fibre can be stiff, it wrinkles easily, and it is low in elasticity.
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Sweet synthetics New innovations in the synthetic fibre industry are also pleasing athletes. Petroleum-based polyester of the past did not absorb body moisture but held it against the skin. New wicking features have been developed to deal with this disadvantage through channels created in the polyester as it extrudes from the liquid stage into a thread. Microscopic grooves in the thread allow the moisture to be channeled away from the skin and then absorbed and wicked away by a thin layer of a different fabric, usually wool or cotton, which is wrapped around the central polyester thread. Polyester threads have the advantage of being very fine compared to natural fibres, affording the addition of a second fibre and still resulting in a lightweight fabric. Mountain Equipment Co-op has made strides toward using recycled polyester, using yarns made from industrial polyester waste and recycled plastic bottles. These yarns use as much as 75 percent less crude oil than virgin fibres and, as the MEC Web site points out, they divert waste from landfills into useful stuff. MEC stores provide deposit bins for recycled clothing. If the garment has lost life, recycle it into new life. There is a 15 percent cost to such eco-friendly recycled polyester, but the industry is flexing its innovative arm, working on solutions. There is a cost to not recycling as well—the petroleumbased products are not biodegradable. Textiles made from synthetic fibres have also suffered from problems with odour due to microbial accumulation from sweaty athletes. The odour doesn’t wash away easily. Introducing silver into the fibres provides a natural antibacterial agent. Martin Filteau, vice-president of Textile Technology Centre Group (CTT) in Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, is co-inventor of a process to introduce silver into fibres. He and Dominique Tessier, chemist and researcher with CTT Group, are responsible for a new process, SilverClear®. First motivated by the medical need for a wound dressing that would control bacteria, the two developed the now patent-pending process using nanotechnology. Figure 1 shows a new, non-toxic antimicrobial silver solution that is made of nano-sized, slightly soluble, silver salt crystals that can be applied in different finishing processes such as spraying, dip-coating, padding, and
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Figure 1 thin-film deposition to form a durable antimicrobial polymer coating. Silver has been used since ancient times as an antimicrobial agent. Silver vessels were used in the desert to store water and keep it pure. Different antimicrobial processes using silver have been developed for textiles. Concerns about silver and its cost and conductivity become insignificant because of the small quantity used in textiles. Increased cost for a metre of fabric for sports wear is just cents, for example. Costs for medical bandages are considerably higher, but new nanotechnologies have reduced even that cost significantly.
Garments that fit and apparel that protects In the last three years, André Gaudreau has seen a trend toward fabric that stretches more and more to accommodate moving bodies while maintaining style and comfort. Gaudreau, president of Shefford Textiles Ltée, says that the demand has led to increasing use of elastic fibres such as spandex. The polypropylene olefin, or elastic, doesn’t absorb moisture, but a thin filament of spandex wrapped in a different absorbing fibre produces elastic body-fitting threads that keep the body dry.
Contrary to popular belief, most summer clothing offers poor protection against UV rays. Most lightweight fabrics have a UV protection factor (UPF) of less than 15— lower than a conventional sunscreen. As concerns about melanoma increase, the textile industry is responding with better dyes and tighter weaves and also with new technologies to improve the sun protection values of lightweight clothing. One such technology, Rayosan, can be carried out in fabrics by the dyer or finisher. Clariant Chemicals Ltd. offers two products—a paste that is a reactive UV absorber that bonds with fibres and doesn’t easily wash out after repeated launderings, and a liquid for polyester fibres that can be applied alone or with dyes by exhaust that gives a very high UV protection for fabrics. Clearly, the chemistry lab is enabling the sports apparel industry to meet many of the specialized needs of today’s athletes. The industry has created a niche for itself in the competitive world of textiles—a development that promises to support athletes in their various endeavors.
Sally Gray is a freelance writer and editor, specializing in science, technology and agriculture.
Photo courtesy of CTT Group
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News  23
From Prius to Sports Car Magnetohydrodynamics for better battery packs for hybrid vehicles
I
t seemed reasonable to look over the results obtained with laser interferometric studies of the effects of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to see if there were useful applications. The sudden interest in better batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid autos suggested looking at battery applications rather than the refining of copper and zinc as in the six papers I’d published in refereed journals. To get some experience, I first turned my attention to an EV sponsored by the University of Victoria that was driven by 20 lead acid batteries. Next, some laboratory experience with nickel metal hydride batteries before getting behind the wheel of the Toyota Prius.
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A personal 2007 Prius was fitted with a battery pack magnetized on a patented magnetizer, and a little extra electrolyte spiked with a para-magnetic ion was substituted for the original equipment. The itinerant engineer for Toyota was invited to drive the Prius and pronounced it “peppy.” Subsequent tests showed that only about 10 to 20 percent better mileage was obtainable on the highway at or above 110 kilometres per hour. But about 53 percent better mileage was reached in city-only driving—49.1 miles per gallon (mpg) and 75.1 mpg—during two trials each with a tank of approximately 9.9 imperial gallons. This Prius could “lay rubber!”
Robert N. O’Brien, FCIC
On the basis of these results, the local Toyota agency found three taxis amenable to having their battery packs magnetized. Two of the taxis had come in for repairs after less than two months. Both had transmission problems, and one had a damaged inverter. A third came in after four months to have the batteries switched back as the driver/owner said he had heard about the trouble and wanted to avoid repairs. It was concluded from the data that the approximately 20 extra horsepower supplied by the low resistance battery pack was being used continuously by the drivers for high-powered acceleration, etc. The plan to convert five all together was abandoned. Magnetizing the battery pack in
Above: The author stands with his “Magnetic Green Machine.”
the original equipment would require alteration to the inverter, the transmission, and the algorithm in the central computer. By comparison, the personal Prius has operated for more than eight months without problems. Gallons of gasoline have been saved and the driving wheels have only skidded once. The basis of MHD is that there is always natural convection at vertical electrodes in the earth’s gravitational field. MHD simply enhances it. The basic essential observation is that the flow of the ionized electrolyte is the current in the right hand rule—determining which way an electric motor will turn—not the very low current density between the two electrodes. The electrodes must be face polarized to give a force across the face of the electrode in order to sweep away concentration polarization with a rising or descending rapidly rotating helix. The conclusion stated in an engineering report to Toyota was that although greater mileage could be achieved, the original thrust for a 100 mpg car was very unlikely and perhaps impossible. But last month, a Prius buff (and staff member of the department of chemistry) challenged the personal Prius to a road test in the city. His Prius achieved 3.6 litres per 100 kilometres while the magnetized Prius clocked in at 3.8. So why magnetize? The challenger can’t lay rubber, but he had also bought low-rolling-friction tires, he did not have the lights on automatic as Canada requires, and he did not run the air conditioner until nearly the end despite the hot, sunny weather. The personal Prius followed in “line astern,” and it is always the “wing man” who calls “bingo fuel” first. These values are 78.8 and 74.7 mpg, respectively. If the personal Prius was fitted with low-rolling-friction tires, ran no ancilliary equipment, and had the battery pack magnetized—could it become a 100 mpg hybrid under the best circumstances? It seems likely that it could.
ModEnergy founder and technology inventor Steve Eaves (fourth from left) and ModEnergy co-founder Farshid Bakhtyari (far right) pose with a team of PHEV developers.
PHEV Revs Up EnerSys is the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications. Through its Modular Energy Devices (ModEnergy) subsidiary, EnerSys has teamed with Québec’s l’Université Laval and Canada’s largest cooperative financial group, Desjardins, to conduct a trial program to study community acceptance and operating success of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) in Québec, QC. Beginning in the Spring of 2008, the multidisciplinary team is spearheading a technical, financial and market-based effort to bring the environmental and economic advantages of PHEVs to mainstream markets. If the pilot study is a success, the project will integrate between 10 and 50 PHEVs into Québec streets, giving the partners strategic knowledge about the viability and potential of the market. The PHEVs will be owned and operated by individuals in the community during the expected four-year test period. ModEnergy will supply lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery packs and controls to Laval. They will collaborate to optimize performance and durability for evaluation by members of the team and the Québec community. Desjardins and Laval’s business school are working together to design innovative financial contracts, which, for example, could encourage the commercialization of this type of environmentally friendly technology and its accessibility to consumers. EnerSys
Robert N. O’Brien, FCIC, is professor emeritus and adjunct professor at the University of Victoria’s department of chemistry. He will present a paper based on this research in Philadelphia, PA, in July 2008.
The Prius PHEV hits the streets of l’Université Laval campus in Québec, QC.
Photos courtesy of Modular Energy Devices Inc.
june 2008 Canadian Chemical News 25
Recognition reconnaissance Four companies have been welcomed into Ontario’s Environmental Leaders program. Fielding Chemical, General Motors, Nalco and Exhibition Place were recognized at the Green Living Show for the following outstanding environmental efforts. Fielding Chemical is the most sophisticated chemical and refrigerant recycling plant in Canada and is converting 750,000 litres of hazardous waste into a reusable product. General Motors reduced its total facility greenhouse gas emissions by 49 percent between 1990 and 2006 while assembling over 12 percent more vehicles. It also invested in one of the most environmentally advanced paint systems of its kind for the Oshawa, ON, plant. Nalco is the world’s leading water treatment company and is reducing electricity use by 20 percent and making a 30 percent reduction in hazardous waste generation. Exhibition Place is home to the first urban wind turbine and has committed to 80 percent waste diversion by 2010. The other five members are Cargill, Trillium Health Centre, Teknion, Rohm and Haas, and Steelcase. Learn more about the benefits of being a leader and how to apply for membership at www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/ general/leadership/index.htm.
André Bandrauk, FCIC Two Canadian researchers have caused a revolution in molecular science by developing most of the main concepts of a new field known as “attosecond science.” Attosecond science fuses chemistry and physics to arrive at the innovative idea of using
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intense, ultra-short laser pulses to image and even ultimately control molecules. The achievements by André Bandrauk, FCIC, Canada Research Chair in Computational Chemistry and Molecular Photonics at the Université de Sherbrooke, and Paul Corkum, senior scientist at the National Research Council’s Steacie Institute and adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa, have earned them this year’s $250,000 John C. Polanyi Award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The researchers have combined the power of supercomputing and the latest laser technology to control and manipulate matter with lasers at the molecular level, both spatially and temporally. Their research could lead to advances in materials technology, bio-photonics and high-bandwidth telecommunications.
Bayer Inc. is a Canadian subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international research-based group with core businesses in health care, crop science, and innovative materials. Bayer Inc. was honoured as a significant new donor at the 16th Annual Adam Linton Memorial Lecture by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) for contributing $50,000 to the OMA Medical Students Bursary Fund and was further recognized for its ongoing commitment to Canadian medical education. Since 1997, tuition fees for first-year medical students have almost tripled. The OMA Medical Student Bursary Fund aims to support medical students with financial challenges enrolled at one of Ontario’s six medical schools. In an era when paper mills are closing elsewhere, a new 100 percent recycled paper facility located in the heart of Canada’s largest city won a silver award for environmental performance in the Packaging Association of Canada’s (PAC) first annual Sustainable Packaging Awards. New Forest Paper Mills, a joint venture between Atlantic Packaging Products and Québec-based strategic partner Mitchel-Lincoln Packaging, received the award in the Canadian facility or process sector. The Sustainable Packaging Leadership Awards were created to accelerate the progress of the packaging industry in
environmental, social and economic sustainability. The guiding principles and judging criteria are based on the general definitions of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. New Forest is the first containerboard paper mill to be built in Canada in 25 years and is one of the most ecologically advanced facilities in the country.
Varagur (Raj) S. V. Rajan, MCIC Varagur (Raj) S. V. Rajan, MCIC, was honoured for his outstanding contribution to society through community service at the April 17, 2008 APEGGA Annual Conference Summit Awards held at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton. Rajan is a professional engineer and researcher at the Alberta Research Council, Edmonton, AB.
In Memoriam
The CIC extends its condolences to the families of: Peter S. Brown, MCIC A. K. Summer, MCIC
ACCN
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Recognition reconnaissance
Supporting Chemical Education
Virtual Science Fair CSC regional undergraduate student conferences CSChE’s student program at the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference CSCT student symposia Western Canadian Medicinal Chemistry Workshop Chemistry Conference for High School Teachers
2007–2008 CEF Donors The CEF directors would like to thank the generous donations to the Chemical Education Fund received between May 2007 and February 2008 from the following CIC members: R. Ackman, FCIC • H. Anderson, FCIC • M. T. Antoniades, MCIC • Samuel Attah-Poku, MCIC • Gordon Bates, MCIC • L. G. Bortolin, MCIC • Russell Boyd, FCIC • Gordon Brown, MCIC • T. M. Callaghan, MCIC • James Callaghan, MCIC • Robert Caunt, MCIC • H. Cheesman, MCIC • Howard C. Clark, HFCIC • F. Cooper, MCIC • Jean A. Desnoyers, MCIC • Patrick M. Draper, FCIC • T. A. Eastwood, FCIC • Chien P. Fong, MCIC• George H. Fraser, MCIC • George Fulford, FCIC • James Fuller, MCIC • J. S. Grossert, FCIC • H. Habgood, FCIC • F. Harrison, FCIC • Thomas Harrison, MCIC • W.A. Harrison, MCIC • Owen Holmes, FCIC • W. David Jamieson, FCIC• Frank R. Jefferson, MCIC • E. F. Ladniak, MCIC • W. Larisch, MCIC • J. F. Matthews, MCIC • Murray McAndrew, MCIC • H. McFarlane, MCIC • Eric Mead, FCIC • H. Meyer, FCIC • T. H. Glynn Michael, FCIC • Michael Mocek, FCIC • D. S. Montgomery, FCIC • D. Mutton, FCIC • E. Nenniger, MCIC • Brian T. Newbold, FCIC • W. R. Phalen, MCIC • Judith C. Poë, FCIC • William D. Powrie, FCIC • A. Ramella, MCIC • Allan Reddoch, MCIC • D. Robinson, FCIC• Franc Rogan, MCIC • Maurice Ryant, FCIC • Michel Senez, MCIC • Jet Joseph Sieh, MCIC • G. Skinner, MCIC • Donald Smith, FCIC • Helen Graves Smith, MCIC • F. W. Southam, FCIC • S. Takahashi, MCIC • Josef Takats, FCIC • K. Thompson, FCIC • L. Tod, FCIC • Ian Twilley, FCIC • Clinton Waggoner, MCIC • H. Webber, FCIC • Mary Anne White, FCIC • David M. Wiles, FCIC
Guest Column Chroniqueur invité Continued from p. 2
… initial failure of judgment—the decision to cheat—spreads to the whole spectrum of conduct in the effort to insulate the initial failure, but the “pearl” seldom develops. It tends to be more like a cancer that continues to advance. Jones is a textbook case, maintaining the lie to the end, over more than seven years, and she would still be doing so were it not for her guilty plea in that and a money-laundering charge. She was surrounded by others in the same leaky boat. Two of her former partners, one the father of her child, also suffered from the same symptoms. C. J. Hunter, a shot putter, had tested positive no less than four times in the year of the Sydney Olympics, but was still added to the U.S. team under an informal arrangement that he would not compete—due to an “injury”—so that he could “retire in dignity!” Tim Montgomery, world record holder in the 100 metres, got busted for steroid use following the well known Balco investigations. They all denied, denied, denied.
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ACCN
2008 grant recipients
Quoi de neuf?
The CIC Chemical Education Fund (CEF) is made available from individual member donations and from earnings on trust fund balances accumulated from the generous contributions of the chemical industry over many years. The Fund’s objective is to advance education in science and technology, particularly in the areas of chemical sciences, chemical engineering, chemical technology, and related disciplines.
june 2008 Canadian Chemical News 27
Recognition reconnaissance
Canadian Society for Chemical Technology The Norman and Marion Bright Award Winner
Presenting CSCT Students
The award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to the furtherance of chemical technology. Kerry M. Peru National Water Research Institute Saskatoon, SK Kerry M. Peru graduated from the chemical technology program, SIAST in 1984. He started his career in 1985 with Environment Canada. In 1991 Peru was led from inorganic to organic analysis by being part of the set-up and implementation of the organic mass spectrometry research laboratory and is now the senior organic mass spectrometry technologist. Peru is responsible for the development of new methodologies utilizing tandem mass spectrometry relating to the fate and transport of toxic substances in the environment. He has co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications, numerous conference proceedings, and book/encyclopedia chapters. Peru serves as an executive member of both the Canadian Society for Mass Spectrometry and the Saskatchewan Mass Spectrometry User’s Group. He also serves as chair of the Advisory Committee to the Chemical Technology Program, SIAST. Peru participates as part of the organizing committee of two workshops and sits on three award selection committees. He has received several awards for his achievements relating to scientific research including a Suggestion Award and a Citation of Excellence from Environment Canada. Peru was also the recipient of the Caledon Award that recognizes “significant scientific, technological contributions to the analytical chemistry of trace organic residues.”
CSCT Eastern Student Symposium presenters from left to right: Justin Chin, Elaine Griesbach, Roustam Baimatov, Melanie Gendreau, Slavica Bojkovski, and Jennifer Salutari. The Canadian Society for Chemical Technology carried out two student symposia in March hosted by Centennial College in Scarborough, ON, and SIAST, Kelsey Campus in Saskatoon, SK. Twenty-five students from SIAST and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology presented oral papers and posters at the CSCT Western Student Symposium at SIAST. Oral presentation winners were: Wade Barton, SIAST (first place); Travis Jacob, SIAST (second place); and Crystal Schneider, SIAST (third place). The poster competition winner was Monique Chute, SIAST. Centennial College hosted Toronto area chemical technology students at the CSCT Eastern Student Symposium, with six student presenters and approximately 35 symposium participants. Prizes were presented to Jennifer Salutari (first place); Slavica Bojkovski (second place); and Roustam Baimatov (third place). Students heard speeches from professionals such as CIC executive director Roland Andersson, MCIC, and CSCT director of student affairs Samantha Waytowich about their careers and working in the chemical industry.
Section locale de Montréal de l’ICC Le 22 avril dernier, Robert H. Marchessault, FCIC, inaugurait le calendrier 2008 de la Section Locale de Montréal de l’ICC avec sa présentation intitulée Transformation microbienne des résidus boisés en composites polyesters. Afin de faire revivre la Section de Montréal, Constantin Nedea, MCIC, président de la section, a mis sur pied un programme ambitieux pour 2008 :
Juin Les vaches sont-elles plus dignes de confiance que les chimistes? Conférencier : Joe Schwarcz, MCIC
28 L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
Septembre Le rôle de la chimie dans le développement durable du Québec. Conférencier : Raymond Bachand, Ministre du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation
Octobre Semaine nationale de la chimie. Des activités sont organisées en collaboration avec la Commission scolaire de Montréal. Formation continue en milieu de travail. Conférencier à confirmer.
Novembre Comment faire un bon vin? Cette activité est organisée conjointement avec la Société des alcools du Québec et inclut une dégustation. M. Nedea est à la recherche de collaborateurs dynamiques pour l’appuyer dans la revitalisation de la section. Veuillez le contacter à l’adresse chemplan@videotron.ca. Pour plus de renseignements, visitez le site Web au www.cheminst.ca/localsections.
C o n t i n u i n g E d u c a t i o n f o r C h e m i c a l P r o f e s s i o n a l s
The Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) and the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE) are presenting the following course designed to enhance the knowledge and working experience of safety, environmental and process safety professionals.
Professional Development Risk Assessment and Management for Continuous Improvement
2008 Schedule June 16–17 Toronto October 21–22 Ottawa Registration fees $845 CIC/CSChE members $995 non-members www.cheminst.ca/ profdev
This two-day course is geared to those whose responsibilities include risk assessments, development of management systems, and providing advice to decision makers. The learning objective is to reach a thorough understanding of integrated risk assessment and management principles and techniques. During the course, participants are provided with a broad overview of the technical tools available to assess risk in industrial environments as well as how these tools fit in the bigger picture of the broader risk management systems to control risk.
Elements of the course • Introduction • Major Historical Accidents in Process Industries • Risk Concepts, How to Estimate Risk and Evaluate its Acceptability • Integrated Risk Management: Success Factors for High Performance • The Risk Management Process • Techniques for Risk Analysis • Qualitative Techniques: Hazard Identification (Screening Level, What-if, HAZOP, FMEA) with handson application examples • Index Methods • Frequency Analysis Techniques (Fault and Event Trees), SVA, LOPA • Consequence Analysis Methods for Hazards Associated with Hazardous Materials (with reference
The Chemical Institute of Canada
to US EPA Risk Management Program Rule) • Elements of Process Safety Management (with reference to US OSHA PSM Regulations) • Emergency Management (with reference to Environment Canada and other Canadian Legislation) • Summary and Conclusions
Recommended for Industry and government personnel who have responsibilities in: • Safety, Health and Environment • Worksite safety • Asset Management • Operations Management • Process Safety and Loss Prevention • Risk Management • Security and Emergency Response
Course leader Ertugrul Alp, PhD, PEng, MCIC, Principal, Alp & Associates Incorporated, has over 20 years' experience in assessment and management of risks to environment, health, safety, property and reputation. His experience covers a number of industrial sectors, including chemical, energy, pulp and paper, mining, steel, and transportation, and government sectors such as labour, environment, health, natural resources, and municipal planning.
Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
careers carrières
A program of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) Public Understanding of Chemistry including National Chemistry Week is a CIC outreach program that assists in educating elementary and high school students and the general public about the wonders of chemistry through activities and promotional materials. Sponsorship supports the Public Understanding of Chemistry activities including: • Elementary School Awareness Programs; • Chemical Engineering Outreach; • National Crystal Growing Competition; • Promotional Items. Contact the Chemical Institute of Canada to support this exciting program. Gale Thirlwall publicunderstanding@cheminst.ca
30 L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
World
Ca l l f o r P a p e r s
June 16, 2008 – Call for Papers Begins November 30, 2008 – Call for Papers Closes
Challe
ging an h C a r o f nges
8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering Incorporating the 59th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference and the XXIV interamerican congress of chemical engineering
Montréal, QuÉbec, Canada • August 23-27,
www.wcce8.org
2009
C o n t i n u i n g E d u c a t i o n f o r C h e m i c a l P r o f e s s i o n a l s
Laboratory Safety 2008 Schedule June 16–17 Toronto October 21–22 Ottawa
T
Day 1
the knowledge and working experience of chemical
• Safety management
he Chemical Institute of Canada and the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology are
presenting a two-day course designed to enhance technologists and chemists. All course participants receive the CIC’s Laboratory Health and Safety
For more information about the course and locations, and to access the registration form, visit: www.cheminst.ca/ profdev
• Safety policies • Training
Guidelines, 4th edition.
• Safety audit
This course is intended for those whose
• Flammable solvents
responsibilities include improving the operational safety of chemical laboratories, managing
Registration fees $550 CIC members $750 non-members $75 students
• Introduction
• Labelling • Corrosive chemicals • Toxic chemicals
laboratories, chemical plants or research facilities,
• Reactive chemicals
conducting safety audits of laboratories and chemical plants. During the course, participants are
Day 2
provided with an integrated overview of current best
• Insidious hazards
practices in laboratory safety.
• Compressed gases • Cryogenic liquids • Fire safety • Storage • Waste disposal • Personal protective equipment • Electrical hazards • Fume hoods • Radiation hazards
Instructor Eric Mead, FCIC, a former instructor with the chemical technology program at SIAST, has taught and practised laboratory workplace safety for more than 30 years. A former chair of The Chemical Institute of Canada, Mead has been commended for his work on behalf of the chemical industry.
“The chemical field and profession are built on a foundation of trust with society. An integral part of that trust is the safe operation of facilities including laboratories, whether industrial, academic or government. The education of engineers, scientists and technologists must reflect that level of trust. We all share in the responsibility for safe and ethical research, chemical processing and analysis." —Eric Mead
Chemical Institute of Canada
Canadian Society for Chemical Technology
june 2008 Canadian Chemical News  33
Events Événements
Employment Wanted Demandes d’emploi
CIC members in the search of new employment opportunities are eligible to publish three consecutive
Employment Wanted
ads in ACCN free of charge. For more information, e-mail acampbell@cheminst.ca. Topwe M. Mwene-Mbeja, PhD. Seven years of experience as a Researcher in Synthetic Organic Chemistry. For example, developed concise total synthesis of (+)-cuparenone and new synthetic methodologies for the [2,3] Wittig rearrangement in order to procure chiral quaternary carbons. Please contact milongwe30@yahoo.fr. Experienced Professional Analytical Chemist with MSc seeking immediate FT Permanent Employment in a Supervisory, Management or Teaching Capacity in Chemical or Environmental Field. chemwhiz@telus.net
Canada
U.S. and Overseas
Conferences
June 15–19, 2008. World Hydrogen Energy Conference, South Brisbane, Australia, www.whec2008.com
June 15–18, 2008. 20th Canadian Symposium on Catalysis, Kingston, ON, www.20csc2008.ca June 16–18, 2008. Control Systems/Pan Pacific Conference, Vancouver, BC, www.paptac.ca June 16–18, 2008. Surface Canada 2008 (SC08), University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, www.chemistry.uguelph.ca/SC08 July 14–18, 2008. IUPAC International Conference on Biodiversity and Natural Products—ICOB-6 and ISCNP-26, Charlottetown, PE, www.iupac-icbnp2008.com
www.chemjobs.ca
August 17–22, 2008. 25th Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, State College, PA, www.chemecol.org/ meetings/meetings.htm August 24–28, 2008. 18th International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering, Praha, Czech Republic, www.chisa.cz/2008
August 13–16, 2008. 13th Symposium on the Latest Trends in Organic Synthesis, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, www. brocku.ca/chemistry/faculty/Hudlicky/ltos/ intro.html
September 16–20, 2008. 2nd European Chemistry Congress–Chemistry: the Global Science, Torino, Italy, www.euchemstorino2008.it
September 6–10, 2008. 6th International Symposium on Radiohalogens, Whistler, BC, www.triumf.info/hosted/6ISR
August 23–27, 2009. 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering incorporating the 59th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference and XXIV Interamerican congress of Chemical Engineering, Montréal, QC, www.wcce8.org
GET NOTICED filler
34 L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
August 4–6, 2008. 12th Asia-Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering Meeting—the Chemical Engineering Exhibition, Dalian, China, www.apcche.org
August 3–6, 2008. 54th International Conference on Analytical Sciences and Spectroscopy (ICASS), Montreal, QC, www.icass.ca
October 19–22, 2008. 58th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Ottawa, ON, www.csche2008.ca
Looking for the right job?
August 3–8, 2008. Chemistry in the ICT Age—the 20th International Conference on Chemical Education (ICCE 2008), Reduit, Mauritius, www.uom.ac.mu/20icce.htm
October 20–22, 2008. LABTECH Conference & Exhibition 2008, Manama, Bahrain, www.lab-tech.info November 16–21, 2008. 2008 AIChE Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, www.aiche.org/ Conferences/AnnualMeeting/index.aspx December 12–15, 2008. 10th European Meeting on Supercritical Fluids, Strasbourg, France, www.isasf.net/strasbourg
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chemists, chemical engineers, and technologists each month at a very low cost.
Nominations are now open for the
Chemical Institute of Canada
2009AWARDSAct now!
Do you know an outstanding person who deserves to be recognized?
The Chemical Institute of Canada Medal is presented as a mark of distinction and recognition to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the science of chemistry or chemical engineering in Canada. Sponsored by the Chemical Institute of Canada. Award: A medal and travel expenses. The Montréal Medal is presented as a mark of distinction and honour to a resident in Canada who has shown significant leadership in or has made an outstanding contribution to the profession of chemistry or chemical engineering in Canada. In determining the eligibility for nominations for the award, administrative contributions within The Chemical Institute of Canada and other professional organizations that contribute to the advancement of the professions of chemistry and chemical engineering shall be given due consideration. Contributions to the sciences of chemistry and chemical engineering are not to be considered. Sponsored by the Montréal CIC Local Section. Award: A medal and travel expenses.
Environmental Improvement Award is presented to a Canadian The
company, individual, team, or organization for a significant achievement in pollution prevention, treatment, or remediation. Sponsored by the Environment Division. Award: A plaque and travel assistance. The Macromolecular Science and Engineering Award is presented to an individual who, while residing in Canada, has made a distinguished contribution to macromolecular science or engineering. Sponsored by NOVA Chemicals Ltd. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses. The CIC Award for Chemical Education (formerly the Union Carbide Award) is presented as a mark of recognition to a person who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to education at the post-secondary level in the field of chemistry or chemical engineering. Sponsored by the CIC Chemical Education Fund. Award: A framed scroll and a cash prize.
Deadlines
The deadline for all CIC awards is July 2, 2008 for the 2009 selection.
Nomination Procedure
Submit your nominations to: Awards Manager Chemical Institute of Canada 130 Slater Street, Suite 550 Ottawa, ON K1P 6E2 Tel.: 613-232-6252, ext. 223 Fax: 613-232-5862 awards@cheminst.ca
Nomination forms and the full Terms of Reference for these awards are available at www.cheminst.ca/awards.
June 2008 Canadian Chemical News 35
Nominations are now open for the
Canadian Society for Chemistry
2009AWARDSAct now!
Do you know an outstanding person who deserves to be recognized?
The Rio Tinto Alcan Award is presented to
a scientist residing in Canada who has made a distinguished contribution in the fields of inorganic chemistry or electrochemistry while working in Canada. Sponsored by Rio Tinto Alcan. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses. The Alfred Bader Award is presented as a mark of distinction and recognition for excellence in research in organic chemistry carried out in Canada. Sponsored by Alfred Bader, HFCIC. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses. The Strem Chemicals Award for Pure or Applied Inorganic Chemistry is presented
to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has made an outstanding contribution to inorganic chemistry while working in Canada, and who is within ten years of his or her first professional appointment as an independent researcher in an academic, government, or industrial sector. Sponsored by Strem Chemicals Inc. Award: A framed scroll and travel expenses for a lecture tour. The Boehringer Ingelheim Award is presented to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant whose PhD thesis in the field of organic or bioorganic chemistry was formally accepted by a Canadian university in the 12-month period preceding the nomination deadline of July 3 and whose doctoral research is judged to be of outstanding quality. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses. The Clara Benson Award is presented in recognition of a distinguished contribution to chemistry by a woman while working in Canada. Sponsored by the Canadian Council 36 L’Actualité chimique canadienne Juin 2008
The Maxxam Award is presented to a scientist residing in Canada who has made a distinguished contribution in the field of analytical chemistry while working in Canada. Sponsored by Maxxam Analytics Inc. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses.
The Fred Beamish Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates innovation in research in the field of analytical chemistry, where the research is anticipated to have significant potential for practical applications. The award is open to new faculty members at a Canadian university and they must be recent graduates with six years of appointment. Sponsored by Eli Lilly Canada Inc. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses.
The R. U. Lemieux Award is presented to an organic chemist who has made a distinguished contribution to any area of organic chemistry while working in Canada. Sponsored by the Organic Chemistry Division. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses.
The Keith Laidler Award is presented to a scientist who has made a distinguished contribution in the field of physical chemistry while working in Canada. The award recognizes early achievement in the awardee’s independent research career. Award: A framed scroll.
The Merck Frosst Cenre for Therapeutic Research Award is presented to a scientist residing in Canada, who shall not have reached the age of 40 years by April 1 of the year of nomination and who has made a distinguished contribution in the fields of organic chemistry or biochemistry while working in Canada. Sponsored by Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses.
The W. A. E. McBryde Medal is presented to a young scientist working in Canada who has made a significant achievement in pure or applied analytical chemistry. Sponsored by Sciex Inc., Division of MDS Health Group. Award: A medal and a cash prize.
of University Chemistry Chairs (CCUCC).
Award: A framed scroll, a cash prize, and travel expenses.
The Bernard Belleau Award is presented to a scientist residing in Canada who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of medicinal chemistry through research involving biochemical or organic chemical mechanisms. Sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb Canada Co. Award: A framed scroll and a cash prize. The John C. Polanyi Award is presented to a scientist for excellence in research in physical, theoretical or computational chemistry or chemical physics carried out in Canada. Award: A framed scroll.
Deadline The deadline for all CSC awards is July 2, 2008 for the 2009 selection.
Nomination Procedure Submit your nominations to: Awards Manager Canadian Society for Chemistry 130 Slater Street, Suite 550 Ottawa, ON K1P 6E2 Tel.: 613-232-6252, ext. 223 Fax: 613-232-5862 awards@cheminst.ca Nomination forms and the full Terms of Reference for these awards are available at www.chemistry.ca/awards.
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