Eric W. Thomas, senior technology engineer, DuPont Performance Elastomers.

Eric W. Thomas, senior technology engineer, DuPont Performance Elastomers, has been selected to receive the 2003 Charles M. Manly Memorial Medal. This award is being presented by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for his outstanding technical paper "Fluoroelastomer and Perfluoroelastomer Compatibility With Advanced Gas Turbine Lubricants"*, presented at the Aerospace Congress & Exhibition held in Montreal, Canada, September 8-11, 2003.

According to SAE, "the Manly Medal is awarded to the author of the best paper relating to the theory or practice in the design or construction of, or research on, aerospace engines, their parts, components, or accessories and which has been presented at an SAE meeting. The award considers the value of the author's contribution to the state-of-the-art in the furtherance of engine technology or their parts, components, subsystems or accessories." The award was established in 1928 as a memorial to Charles Manly, SAE president in 1919, and as a lasting tribute to his work in aeronautics engineering.

Mr. Thomas was congratulated on this significant achievement by H. Robert Welge, chair, SAE Charles M. Manly Memorial Medal Award Board. He will receive the distinction at the World Aviation Congress in Reno, Nevada, on November 3, 2004.

"Aerospace sealing from -45°C to +327°C"

In his paper, Mr. Thomas said that extreme conditions of heat and cold were inherent to flight, and that most military, commercial and business aircraft depended on fluorohydrocarbon and perfluorocarbon elastomers to maintain reliable, long-life, leak-free performance. He reviewed several new peroxide-curable DuPont Performance Elastomers Viton® fluoroelastomers capable of sealing from -45°C to +275°C in air, lubricating oils, and standard reference fluids, and highlighted fluid compatibility and sealing force retention in gas turbine engine oils.

He also discussed the outstanding heat resistance (+327°C) and chemical compatibility of DuPont Performance Elastomers Kalrez® perfluoroelastomers with advanced jet oils and highlighted several developmental grades that show advantage with HTS-type oils.

Mr. Thomas described the new fluoroelastomers and perfluoroelastomers as providing enhanced end-use properties and significant improvements in processing behavior essential in high quality, high yield fabrication of aerospace sealing devices.

*"Fluoroelastomer and Perfluoroelastomer Compatibility With Advanced Gas Turbine Lubricants", by Eric W. Thomas, is available on request from DuPont Performance Elastomers.