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Dr. Thein Kyu

Distinguished Professor of Polymer Engineering

Education

  • 1980 Ph. D., Polymer Chemistry, College of Engineering, Kyoto University
  • 1974 M. S., Polymer Chemistry, College of Engineering, Kyoto University
  • 1972 B.S., Textile Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology

Research Interests

Phase equilibria and kinetics of phase separation in polymer blends; phase transitions in crystalline and liquid crystalline polymers; molecular composites; processing, structure and properties of ionomer membranes; pattern formation and electro-optical properties of dispersed liquid crystal systems.

Professional Affiliations

American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, Materials Research Society, International Polymer Processing Society, Akron Polymer Lecture Group.

Honors

  • Outstanding Research Award, University of Akron, 1998.
  • GenCorp Signature University Award, 1998.
  • Mombusho Scholar, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan, 1967-1974 and 1978-1980.

Books

  1. "Liquid Crystalline Polymer Systems: Tech. Advances," A.I. Isayev, T. Kyu, and S.Z.D. Cheng Eds., Am.Chem.Soc. Symp. Ser. # 632, Washington D.C., 1996.
  2. "Polyolefin Blends" and "Polyolefin Composites," 2 volumes, D. Nwabunma and T. Kyu, Eds., J. Wiley, under contract (to be completed by December 2006).

Patents and Copyrights

  1. “Single phase blends of Polycarbonate and Polymethyl methacrylate” T. Kyu and J.M. Saldanha, U.S. Patent 4,773,654, May 10, (1988).
  2. “Melt-Processable, Toughened, Transparent Blends of PC/PMMA, T. Kyu, U.S. Patent 5,049,619, September 17, (1991).
  3. “Non-Birefringent Optical Adhesives and Films,” T. Kyu, U.S. Patent 5,905,554, May 18, (1999).
  4. “Electrically Tunable Microlens Array Formed by Pattern Polymerization of Photopolymerizable Mixtures Containing Liquid Crystals” T. Kyu and D. Nwabunma, U.S. Patent No. 6,815,016 (2004).
  5. “Simulation of Phase Separation Dynamics,” Copy Right, University of Akron, H.W. Chiu and T. Kyu, May 5, 1999.

Address:

Department of Polymer Engineering
Polymer Engineering
Academic Center
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-0301

Phone: 330-972-5281
Fax: 330-258-2339