TRFA Annual Meeting Short Courses

Short Courses

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Formulation, Curing, and Characterization (Additional fee required to attend)

Presented By: Jeff Gotro, PhD, InnoCentrix

Monday, October 26, 2026 | 8:00AM-12:00PM

OVERVIEW:

Formulation

Formulation Basics

Components
Stoichiometry considerations
Example formulations

Formulation Strategies

How to build a formulation
Base resins, selection, optimization
How to incorporate additives (adhesion promoters, flame retardants, tougheners, diluents, etc.)

Fillers

Filler types, role of fillers
Particle packing concepts

Design for Manufacturing (mixing, dispersion, packaging)
Product Architecture Concept

How to build a product architecture (or sometimes call a product platform)
Advantages of having product architectures

Customization for specific customers
Product line extensions

Curing

Introduction to thermoset cure chemistry
Key concepts of gelation and vitrification during curing
Important structure-property-process relationships

Characterization

Thermal Analysis Methods for Thermoset formulations

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
Thermal Mechanical Analysis (TMA)
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA)

Rheological testing

Rheological testing of uncured, formulated thermosets (critical to understand dispensing of adhesives, coatings, laminates, composites)
Overview of rheological testing

Controlled stress, controlled strain, testing geometries

Rheology during curing and processing (chemorheology)

ABOUT THE FACULTY:

Jeff has over thirty-eight years’ experience in thermosetting polymers used in electronics having held scientific and leadership positions at IBM, AlliedSignal, Honeywell International, and Ablestik Laboratories. During his corporate life, Jeff developed a deep understanding of polymer science and became a nationally recognized authority in thermosetting polymers. He has received invitations to speak at prestigious Gordon Research Conferences (Thermosetting Polymers and Composites) and has presented numerous invited lectures, along with technical presentations and short courses at national technical conferences. Jeff was an Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science from 1986-1993. Jeff has published 60 technical papers (including 4 book chapters, one with Dr. Prime) in the field of polymeric materials for advanced electronic packaging applications and holds 15 issued US patents, and have 6 patents pending. Jeff has a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Northwestern University with a specialty in polymer science.