News: PCE 2017 Program

Prof. Dr. Johann Plank

After studying chemistry at the Regensburg University, he earned his PhD in 1980 under Prof. Herrmann. From 1980 to 2001 he worked at SKW Trostberg, initially as laboratory supervisor for cement and concrete admixtures and later as the head of research of the construction chemistry division.

In 1997, he became director for the construction and oil field polymers branch at SKW Polymers GmbH. In 2001, he was appointed full professor for Construction Chemistry by the Technische Universität München. As a visiting professor, he was invited to a number of institutes, including Wuhan University of Technology, the National University of Singapore and the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Prof. Plank is chairman of the board of trustees of the Leonhard Lorenz Foundation and co-editor of the journal Cement & Concrete Research.” His research interests are inorganic binders (cement, silicates, aluminates, phosphates), organic binders, chemical admixtures, colloid chemistry, nanochemistry, nanomaterials, composite materials. He has authored more than 30 patents for concrete admixtures, and has published more than 350 scientific publications.

Dr. Ara Jeknavorian

Dr. Ara Jeknavorian serves the concrete construction industry as an independent consultant on the development and application of chemical admixtures. Just prior to starting Jeknavorian Consulting Services, Dr. Jeknavorian completed a 34 year career with the Construction Products Division of W.R. Grace in Cambridge, Massachusetts as a Research Fellow, where he was responsible for the development of new chemical technologies and concrete admixture products.

He is an inventor on 19 patents for concrete and masonry admixtures, and has authored 50 publications related to chemical admixtures for concrete. He was responsible for polycarboxylate technology and product development, and W.R. Grace’s subsequent global launch of polycarboxylate-based products.

Dr. Jeknavorian is a member of the American Chemical Society, a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute, and a Fellow of the ASTM where he has chaired the sub-committee on Chemical Admixtures and has served on the C09 Concrete Executive Committee. He has received several industry awards for his contribution to standards and technology development for concrete admixtures. Jeknavorian Consulting provides a wide range of services including Training Courses on Concrete Admixtures, trouble shooting admixture performance issues, guidance on evaluating new admixture technologies, and expert witness for litigation. Ara holds a Ph.D. degree in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts.

Guest of Honor – “The Father of PCE”

Dr. Tsuyoshi Hirata

Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study, Technische Universität München
Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan

PhD in Eng. (Hokkaido University, Prof. T. Nawa)
Theme: “Design of polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer for concrete based on its working mechanism”

Invented Polycarboxylate superplasticizer (MPEG type) in 1981 at Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd., and in 1986 for the first time introduced this new superplasticizer to the concrete industry.

Later also invented the slump retaining PCE polymer.

Awards:

(1) Kondo-Daimon prize awarded by Tokyo Institute of Technology, May 2006, for “Material design and product development of polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer.”

(2) Hans Kühl medal awarded by the German Chemical Society, Oct. 2013, for the invention of polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer.

PCE 2017 Award – The Inventer of VPEG – PCE

Dr. Gerhard Albrecht

PhD in Polymer Chemistry (Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena)

Industrial career in Research and Development of Admixtures for Concrete:

-Chemie Linz Ges.mbH
-SKW Trostberg AG
-Degussa AG
-BASF Construction Solutions GmbH

Invented VPEG based Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Technology (“MVA”)

Degussa Innovation Award 2001 for Developing & Introducing Vinyl ether based PCE’s into Precast Admixture Market (Master Glenium ACE Product Line)
Production Technology Transfer of MVA-Technology world-wide

98 patents and about 20 scientific papers

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