Eugene Caldona's innovative research into fluoropolymer dielectric protective coatings earned him the John Sedriks Seed Grant from AMPP.
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance - AMPP - has recently announced that Eugene Caldona, assistant professor in the Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials at North Dakota State University (United States of America), won the John Sedriks Seed Grant Award thanks to his innovative proposal “Surface-Functionalized Ground Tire Rubber Additives for Isotropically Adhesive and Cohesive Dielectric Fluoropolymer Protective Coatings”.
The John Sedriks Seed Grant is worth $35,000 and is designed to promote the development of research programmes in the field of materials protection and performance. It aims to address some of the most pressing challenges in these areas and encompasses several critical areas, including corrosion, coatings and degradation.
"I am deeply honoured to receive the 2024 Dr. A. John Sedriks Seed Grant. This grant not only recognises our team's creativity and hard work but also affirms the potential of our research to make meaningful contributions to the field of corrosion and materials science. We are excited to embark on this project, aiming to develop sustainable solutions that can significantly impact the durability and performance of protective coatings,” has stated Eugene Caldona.
"Eugene Caldona's proposal demonstrates exceptional technical merit and a deep commitment to advancing our understanding of material performance. His work promises to make significant strides in protective coatings, a testament to the legacy of innovation and excellence Dr. Sedriks championed throughout his career,” has commented Douglas Hansen, chair of AMPP’s Research Program Committee.
Moreover, the Legacy NACE Seed Grant honours the memory of John Sedriks, a pioneer in corrosion control through metallurgical modifications. Indeed, his influential work left an indelible mark on corrosion research and the field of materials science.