Russell A. Livigni

Russell A. Livigni (born 20 July 1934)^[1] is a rubber industry scientist and executive noted for his discovery and development of high trans styrene-butadiene rubber, a crystallizing rubber that provides superior oxidation resistance relative to natural rubber.^[2]

Education

Livigni is a native of Akron, Ohio. His aptitude for scientific work was recognized early - in high school he won the Bausch and Lomb award in science. He graduated from Kenmore High School in 1952. After graduation, he took a job at the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company's synthetic rubber development lab, while also working towards his undergraduate degree. He completed his B.Sc. in chemistry in 1956, and his Ph.D. in polymer chemistry in 1960. Both degrees were earned at the University of Akron. During his time as an undergraduate, he worked in the university's Institute of Rubber Research.

Career

1961 - joined GenCorp as a senior research chemist
1962-1963 - Group leader, polymer characterization
1963-1975 - Section Head, Materials Chemistry and Polymer Characterization
1975-1980 - Manager, Polymer and Analytical Chemistry
1980-1987 - Associate Director of Research
1988-1995 - Vice President and Director, GenCorp Research
1995 - Vice-President, Corporate Technology
1996 - retired to consult for Omnova, a GenCorp spinoff

Livigni holds 37 patents. His most cited work treated the subject of polymerization of butadiene and isoprene with butyllithium initiator.^[3]

Awards

1997 - Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award.
2013 - Charles Goodyear Medal of the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society.^[4]

References

^ "ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS". rubber.org. ACS Rubber Division. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
^ Dr. Russell A. Livigni, 2013 Charles Goodyear Medalist, Rubber Chemistry and Technology, vol. 86, G2-3, 2013.
^ Morton, M.; Bostick, E. E.; Livigni, R. A.; Fetters, L. J. (1963). "Homogeneous anionic polymerization. IV. Kinetics of butadiene and isoprene polymerization with butyllithium". Journal of Polymer Science Part A: General Papers. 1 (5): 1735–1747. doi:10.1002/pol.1963.100010525.
^ Noga, Ed (21 May 2013). "Goodyear Medalist Livigni builds impressive legacy". Rubber and Plastics News. Crain. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

[interview-1] "ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS". rubber.org. ACS Rubber Division. Retrieved 9 October 2022.

[bio-2] Dr. Russell A. Livigni, 2013 Charles Goodyear Medalist, Rubber Chemistry and Technology, vol. 86, G2-3, 2013.

[3] Morton, M.; Bostick, E. E.; Livigni, R. A.; Fetters, L. J. (1963). "Homogeneous anionic polymerization. IV. Kinetics of butadiene and isoprene polymerization with butyllithium". Journal of Polymer Science Part A: General Papers. 1 (5): 1735–1747. doi:10.1002/pol.1963.100010525.

[4] Noga, Ed (21 May 2013). "Goodyear Medalist Livigni builds impressive legacy". Rubber and Plastics News. Crain. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

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