How do nanomaterials impact energy generation and usage for future material design?
The next presentation in the Texas A&M Energy Institute Lecture Series, featuring Kurt Swogger, the CEO of Molecular Rebar Design, LLC, will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CDT (GMT -5:00) in the Frederick E. Giesecke Engineering Research Building (GERB) Third Floor Conference Room and through a Zoom Meeting. The topic will be “How do nanomaterials impact energy generation and usage for future material design?”
Abstract
Nanomaterials are being adopted in the design of materials used in almost every aspect of the economy. Nanomaterials have always been a key building block in nature – nanomaterials that are commonly discussed are designed and made by researchers and producers. This discussion will revolve around carbon nanotubes and their development over the last 10 years and how they are being used related to energy use, conservation, and sustainability.
Molecular Rebar Design, LLC (MRD) has developed and patented a version of carbon nanotubes that are the discrete, individual cnt’s that are free from surface metals and are functionalized that are called MOLECULAR REBAR® materials ((MR). Addition of a small amount of MR dramatically changes material, physical and electrical properties allowing new products that can have improved durability, conductivity, and physical characteristics that can be used for a variety of applications that can affect the energy generation, usage, storage, and carbon footprint. Very popular applications are found in the future electric vehicle tires (7% better energy efficiency and 25% better wear) and batteries (33% better energy density and 400% faster charging) allowing for much lower costs, better energy utilization and more sustainability. Nanomaterial’s development and use lead to the next generation material properties enabling many new applications.
Biography
After receiving a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Chemical and Polymer Engineering, from Case Western Research University, Kurt Swogger held various roles during his 36-year career with The Dow Chemical Company. This culminated in the position of Vice President of Plastics R/D and then Vice President of Performance Chemicals and Plastics.
Whether in manufacturing, business or R&D, Kurt’s major contributions were in developing new processes, new products, new businesses, and new applications. He was the research leader for polyolefins and later plastics focused on new products and processes that have generated billions of dollars for Dow, such as improved Ziploc bags, polymers used for food packaging, various products using injection molding, and a host of other innovations.
After leaving Dow, he focused on using carbon nanotubes in a variety of applications. Since November 2008, Kurt has been CEO of Molecular Rebar Design LLC, a development company focused on using carbon nanotubes to make Molecular Rebar, detangled cnt’s that have a multitude of applications in energy, materials, defense, medicine, and electronics markets. In the last three years, Kurt has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of BioPact Cellular Transport, Inc. The company is in its starting phase with established technology applied to the new market segment called cellular delivery, a key component of the new wave of treatments driving cellular medicines such as genetic engineering.