Fresh Paint
aluminum and tungsten. In some
instances, such as the spread of powdered metal parts in motor vehicles,
these applications represent an ongoing evolution. However, completely new
applications and new products such as
nanoscale metal powders will also support increases in demand. A rebound in
motor vehicle production and contin-
ued growth in industrial machinery
shipments will also support increases.
These and other trends are presented
in “Metal Powders,” the new study from
The Freedonia Group, Inc.
In 2007, iron and steel, aluminum,
zinc, magnesium, and copper-based powders represented more than 90% of total
metal powder volume demand, with iron
and steel powders alone accounting for
more than 60% of the total. However, due
to the relatively low prices of iron and
steel powders compared to most other
metal powders, iron and steel powders
only accounted for 21% of metal powder
demand by value in 2007.
Demand for iron and steel powders is
heavily concentrated in parts produc-
Texas student receives award for lifesaving coatings research
Wen Chyan, one of the nation’s brightest young
minds, has been recognized for his groundbreak-ing research of life-threatening infections. He was
recently named one of the $100,000 Grand Prize winners in
the 2008 Siemens Competition in Math, Science &
Technology. The prestigious Siemens Competition, a signature program of the Siemens Foundation, is administered
by the College Board, a not for profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success
and opportunity. The annual awards were presented recently at New York University, host of the Siemens Competition
National Finals.
Chyan, a senior at Texas Academy of Mathematics
and Science in Denton, TX, won the $100,000 scholarship in the individual category for chemistry research
on combating hospital-related infections.
“These remarkable students have achieved the most coveted and competitive high school science recognition in the
nation,” said Thomas McCausland, chairman of the
Siemens Foundation. “There is no doubt that these scholars
will change the world, starting right now, with their passion
for math and science.”
The national finals were judged by a panel of renowned
scientists and mathematicians headed by lead judge Joseph
Taylor, winner of the Nobel Prize in physics and James S.
McDonnell, distinguished university professor of physics,
emeritus, Princeton University. Eighteen national finalists
competed in this year’s national finals, including six individuals and six teams. The finalists previously competed at
one of six regional competitions held at leading research
universities throughout the month of November.
THE WINNING PROJECT
Chyan won the top prize, and a $100,000 college scholarship, for his bioengineering research of antimicrobial coatings for medical devices. Chyan looked to design a special-
ized coating for medical devices aimed to prevent common
hospital infections, called nosocomial infections, which
afflict more than two million patients each year, killing more
than 100,000 of those patients. Chyan’s project is entitled,
“Versatile Antimicrobial Coatings from Pulse Plasma
Deposited Hydrogels and Hydrogel Composites.”
“This research was not only a creative idea, but required
a proactive approach where cross-disciplinary initiatives
had to be taken. The fields of electrochemistry, material science and biology all had to be explored in depth by Wen
Chyan,” said W. Mark Saltzman, Goizueta Foundation professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at Yale
University, a competition judge. “With further testing, these
findings have the potential to improve a wide range of medical devices from intravascular devices at hospitals or
catheters used in insulin pumps.”
Wen Chyan won a $100,000 college scholarship for his bioengineering research of antimicrobial coatings for medical devices.
The high school senior would like to major in chemistry or
chemical engineering once in college. Upon completing his
studies he would like to pursue a position in academia.
