Donald J. Plazek

Professor Emeritus of Materials Science & Engineering
University of Pittsburgh
PhD, University of Wisconsin, 1957.

Telephone: (412) 624-7864
Facsimile: (412) 624-8069
e-mail: plazek+@pitt.edu


An Ode to the Renowned John D.pdf

Dr. Plazek received his PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin in 1957 for the study of the viscoelastic behavior of polymers. Following two years of post-doctoral study with his thesis advisor Professor John D. Ferry, he became a Fellow in Independent Research at the Mellon Institute working under Drs. Thomas G Fox and Paul J. Flory between the years 1958 and 1967. He then moved to the University of Pittsburgh as the first non-metallurgist in the newly named Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. In 1975 he was promoted to Professor. During his first sabbatical leave (1976-77), he was appointed a Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. During his second sabbatical leave (1987-88) he divided his time between study at the US Naval Research Laboratory and at the University of Kyoto as a Fellow sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Since March 1987 he has been an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry of Carnegie Mellon University. In January 1991 he was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Journal of Polymer Science and to the Editorial Board of Rubber Chemistry and Technology in 1993.

Dr. Plazek is a member of the American Chemical Society; American Physical Society (Fellow); the North American Thermal Analysis Society; and the Society of Rheology. His research is directed toward systematic studies of structure-property relations of polymers. He is well-known for his work on the viscoelastic behavior of polymers, and has designed and developed several types of dynamic mechanical and creep apparatus. His research interests include the curing and physical properties of epoxy resins, the correlation of network polymer structure to fracture behavior, correlations of viscoelastic behavior of polymers and other glass-formers near and below their glass temperatures, and viscoelastic characterization of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film. Dr. Plazek taught courses in structure and properties of polymers, applied polymer principles, polymer rheology, and fracture phenomena in polymers. He retired to emeritus status in 1993. His research on the thermal and mechanical properties of amorphous materials continues.

He was the recipient of the George Whitby Award for innovative and inspirational teaching and research by the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society. In 1995 he was named the Bingham Medalist by the Society of Rheology for his research on the viscoelastic behavior of amorphous materials and the development of the stress controlled rheometer.

Publication Listpdf