Shingo Futamura (April 3, 1938 -) is a

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...

industry materials scientist noted for his concept of the deformation index.

Education

Futamura completed his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree at Waseda University in Japan. He earned a master's degree from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in 1968. He received his doctorate in polymer science from the

University of Akron The University of Akron is a public research university in Akron, Ohio. It is part of the University System of Ohio. As a STEM-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advanced materials, and engineering. It is classified ...

in 1975 under advisor Eberhard Meinecke.

Career

By 1974, Futamura was appointed as a group leader of polymer physics at Firestone Central Research in Akron, Ohio. During a career spanning over 40 years, Futamura authored 25 scientific papers and 50 US patents. He worked for Nippon Zeon Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He is best known for proposing the concept of a deformation index to relate viscoelastic properties to real-world tire performance. The concept is used to select rubber compounds that minimize tire rolling resistance, and it is used in finite element analysis to simplify the calculation of energy loss and temperature distribution.

Awards and recognition

* 1973 - Honorable Mention award for paper entitled "Solution SBR-Study in Copolymerization Dynaimcs", ACS Rubber Division Spring meeting * 2014 -

Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award The Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award is a professional award conferred by the American Chemical Society, Rubber Division. Established in 1983, the award is named after Melvin Mooney, developer of the Mooney viscometer and of the Moone ...

from the

ACS Rubber Division ACS or Acs may refer to: Organizations and societies * American Cancer Society, an American voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer * American Ceramic Society, an American professional organization * American Cheese Socie ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Futamura, Shingo 1938 births Polymer scientists and engineers 20th-century Japanese engineers Living people University of Akron people Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company people Bridgestone people