Course: Dynamic Viscoelastic Properties
November 6, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
CEUs: 0.38 (To receive the CEUs, attendees must attend the course live and promptly complete the survey evaluation after the course.)
Location: This course is available virtually only. It can be taken from the comfort of your home or office – remotely from any tablet, laptop or computer.
Course Overview: This course starts with a very brief introduction to viscoelastic theories and models, but then shifts to an explanation of the viscoelastic properties of elastomers and how those properties can be measured. Attendees will learn about how tire performance can be predicted using dynamic mechanical analysis and how these testing methods can be applied to other non-tire applications as well. This course will also discuss how compounding ingredients such as the polymer, fillers, plasticizers and cure systems can each affect the viscoelastic properties of a rubber compound.
Price: $350 Members / $450 Non-members / Free for Undergraduate Student Members / $50 for Other Student Members
Instructor: Paul Merda, ARDL
Bio: Paul currently serves as the Education Coordinator & Technical Advisor at Akron Rubber Development Laboratory (ARDL).
Previous Experience: Lab Technician, Adhesives Chemist, High School Science Teacher, Handy Man
Education: BS Chemistry, Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Experience: 18 years as a Technician/Chemist, 13 years high school science teaching