Dr. Stuart Croll of the North Dakota State University, Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials will receive the Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings for 2017. The announcement was made by the Officers and the Award Committee of the Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) of the American Chemical Society.
Prof. Croll obtained his Ph.D in Polymer Physics at the University of Leeds in the UK. He has worked in industry (Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Sherwin Williams, Northern Telecom and Fosroc Construction Chemicals), in government laboratory (National Research Council, Canada) and academe (Eastern Michigan University and North Dakota State University).
Prof. Croll has done research in a wide variety of areas from a polymer physicist’s perspective. He has published over 95 technical papers. He has done major research on internal shrinkage stresses in coatings and the first to demonstrate the connection between coating solidification and the glass transition temperature as controlled by solvent content in the coating and its impact on coating adhesion. He also has studied the drying of latex films proposing that films form packed layers of latex in a fairly sudden transition to a solid film that was subsequently proven and is the accepted morphology of latex film formation. In studies of the molecular dynamics of crosslinked polymers, he showed how they deviate from the statistical theories of ideal network formation (Flory, Stockmayer, etc.). Furthermore he demonstrated that defects arise as an intrinsic part of the random timing and spatial distribution of reactions between the precursor chemicals and may have a significant effect on crosslink density and other properties, depending on the functionality and preparation conditions for the network.
In quantitative studies of degradation due to weathering of coatings Prof. Croll developed a stochastic model for deterioration in coating properties that links molecular scale damage to the effect on macroscopic properties such as gloss, toughness etc. via well-known models of physical properties. This approach actually can provide a quantitative estimate of service lifetime.
Prof. Croll has done research in art conservation science, especially providing insight into the properties and durability of modern artists’ acrylic paints and more traditional oil paints. He also has done research in water pipeline coatings, especially showing the problems in adhesion measurements and the subsequent limitations in predicting corrosion protection. He also has studied paint stripping and applied the Flory-Rehner Equation and the Griffith Fracture Criterion to paint stripping.
Prof. Croll has received the prestigious Mattiello Lecture award in 2012 from the American Coatings Association. He also has provided service to the coatings community. He is on the Editorial Review Board of “Progress in Organic Coatings” and “Journal of Coatings Technology Research” and has been a Reviewer for J. Coll. Inter. Sci., Langmuir, J. Applied Polym. Sci., J. Mater. Sci., ASTM, and other journals. He also has been on many organizing committees: Coatings Science International, conference; 9th International Conference on Composite Science and Technology, April’ 2013, Sorrento, Italy; and the 10th International Conference on Composite Science and Technology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal, September’ 2015 (International Scientific & Advisory Board). Prof. Croll also has provided consulting to local, national and international companies.as well as providing education in coatings science to industrial companies and professional societies.
Dr. Croll will receive the Tess Award from Dr. Christopher L. Soles, Chair of the PMSE Division, in August, 2017 during the 254th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC. An evening reception in honor of the Tess award recipient and other PMSE and POLY award winners also will be held.
The Tess Award is presented annually by the Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering in recognition of outstanding contributions to coatings science, engineering and technology. It is funded by a grant to the Division from Dr. and Mrs. Roy W. Tess. The purpose of the award is to encourage interest and progress in coatings science technology and engineering and to recognize significant contributions to the field. The Award consists of a plaque and a $3000 cash prize.