Inorganic Chemistry

This expert is an experienced expert in the field of specialty chemicals including, but not limited to, a variety of inorganic minerals and solid polymers. This expert has an extensive background and understanding of chemical reactions that occur at interfaces of solids and liquid-solid interfaces. This expert has many years of experience with the reactions of silane coupling agents with inorganic solids such as clays and silica, and is a published author on the flow behavior of polymers.

For many years, this expert has consulted for corporations involved in the development, optimization, patenting, marketing and quality control of new and existing products and processes.

This expert has served as a forensic expert witness in a multitude of disciplines including patent analysis/infringement, trade secret litigation, product & process issues, OSHA Regulations, Codes & Standards, physical chemistry and material properties. This expert has provided Federal and State depositions and courtroom testimony numerous times. This expert has been deposed in two intellectual property cases, both of which were successful for this expert's client. This expert has also consulted for medical device companies engaged in development of novel surgical techniques, and is a named inventor on 23 patents.

This expert's Ph.D. was in synthetic main group inorganic chemistry that involved the preparation of a wide variety of organic and inorganic compounds. Many of the novel compounds this expert synthesized required recrystallization as purification steps and to grow single crystals suitable for x-ray diffraction used to determine the structure. This expert has a strong background in the behavior of chemical species in solutions such as those used in the cyclic production of taurine. From the process chemistry side, this expert assisted an industrial client in the production of a new fire retardant that this expert helped develop. This was implemented in their manufacturing process used for a building material that required a precise amount of retardant added to pass fire resistance tests. In the years before consulting, this expert was a research scientist at an aerospace company that synthesized inorganic compounds on an industrial scale that were ultimately used to fabricate high temperature metal and ceramic components used in rocket engines. One major responsibility was to develop and implement a process to recycle scrap rhenium, a very rare and expensive metal used for these extreme environments, from acid solutions that were used to etch excess rhenium from vacuum chambers and furnaces. This expert has been consulting in technical litigation matters for many years. One of the matters for which this expert has been deposed was a patent infringement case involving a pharmaceutical. This expert has assisted on two other matters and has one active case involving intellectual property disputes.

This expert holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry with a focus on Colloids and Interface Science. This expert brings to the table many years of experience in Crop Protection R&D, including but not limited to: Technology application and development; Formulation development, characterization/testing, processing, registration, and commercial scale-up/start-up; Spray Drift.

• Liquids - Expertise in the development and processing of: micro-emulsions (MEs), emulsion concentrates (ECs), aqueous and non-aqueous dispersions (SCs, ODs), and suspo-emulsions (SEs).

• Solids - Experience with granular formulation development, processing and commercial production optimization, troubleshooting, and reregistration of crop protection products produced by spray drying, fluid bed granulation, and paste extrusion.
  
• Spray Drift Task Force - A consortium assembled to address the EPA's concern over pesticide drift. This expert’s tasks included:

• Chair the Physical Property Subcommittee, leading the development, design, and execution of a program to assure that necessary measurements were made on model fluids and tank mixtures, spanning the range of formulation types, properties, and concentrations common in aerial and ground applications.
• Interface and advise multiple contract labs, providing detailed equipment specification, instructions, and procedures to accomplish the above.
• Sit on the Technical Committee to assure alignment and integration of the Physical Property, Atomization, and Field-Testing Sub-Committees.
• Worked with the Atomization Sub-committee and the wind-tunnel facility to develop and carry-out the necessary atomization testing.
• Literature research and interviews with experts in droplet formation and atomization, spanning academia, industry, and the U.S. Government.
• Teaching - Adjunct Faculty. Taught General Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry for Chemistry and Engineering majors.