1. Justin Barone Polymers Consulting
Roanoke, VA
justininc4@yahoo.com
Education
PhD in Macromolecular Science and Engineering
BS in Materials Science and Engineering
21 years of industrial, academic, government, and entrepreneurial experience
Experience and Skills
Polymer/plastics processing: extrusion, compounding, injection-molding
Polymer rheology: capillary and dynamic rheology
Polymer/plastics characterization: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy,
Raman spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric
analysis (TGA), mechanical (i.e., tension and compression) testing
Biopolymer-specific characterization: protein synthesis in E. coli, protein separation
using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), biopolymer chemical functionalization
Process scale up from lab to pilot to full scale
Materials
Specializing in biobased and biodegradable polymers and plastics: polylactic acid
(PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), carbohydrates and polysaccharides like starch and
cellulose, proteins like wheat gluten, feather and wool keratin, milk lactalbumin, egg
ovalbumin, and corn zein, engineering proteins
Blends and composites: glass, carbon, and natural fiber-filled polyethylene (PE),
polypropylene (PP), and polyvinylchloride (PVC); polyolefin (PO) blends
Engineering polymers/plastics: nylon (PA), polycarbonate (PC)
Elastomers: thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), rubber compounds, natural rubber
Typical Projects
Sustainable polymer/plastics development
Identification of polymers and additives in polymer compounds
Extrusion screw and die design
Injection-molding mold design
Identifying and solving process bottlenecks
Verification of polymer, composite, and blend properties