Herty Advanced Materials Development Center

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Herty Advanced Materials Development Center
Herty Advanced Materials Development Center, May 2024.jpg
Herty Advanced Materials Development Center
General information
Address110 Brampton Road
Savannah, Georgia 31408
Coordinates 32°06′40″N81°08′35″W / 32.11122°N 81.14301°W / 32.11122; -81.14301
Opened1938 (1938)
Technical details
Floor area120,000 square feet (11,000 m2)

The Herty Advanced Materials Development Center (HAMDC or Herty AMDC) is a research center currently managed by Georgia Southern University. Herty was established in 1938 by the state of Georgia as an applied research center to honor Charles H. Herty, a chemist whose discoveries spearheaded the utilization of southern softwoods in the manufacture of pulp and paper products. [1] In 2012, Georgia governor Nathan Deal transferred management of Herty to Georgia Southern to enhance economic and business development in the State of Georgia. [2] [3]

Contents

"Located on a 10-acre campus in Savannah, the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center is a new product and process accelerator, providing technical, market and manufacturing expertise within a 120,000 square foot facility."

Early history

The Herty Advanced Materials Development Center owes its origins to the Savannah Pulp and Paper Laboratory, a non-profit research and development center founded in 1932. Establishing the Savannah Pulp and Paper Laboratory was the idea of Herty, who advocated the creation of a "semi-commercial-scale" laboratory to demonstrate the utilization of southern pine in the production of newsprint and other fiber-based products derived from southern pine. Initial funding for the laboratory came from the Chemical Foundation, the State of Georgia, the City of Savannah, the Savannah Electric and Power Company, and local businesses. [4] The Laboratory was located at 512 West River Street and is one of the earliest examples of a public-private partnership in the United States.

The founding of the Savannah River Pulp and Paper Laboratory by Herty in 1932 was a defining moment in the history of the North American paper industry. Herty's inventions related to the pulping of southern pine were implemented and commercialized in the 1940s and 1950s. Specifically, the demonstration of newsprint production at the laboratory provided the justification for the first commercial newsprint mill located in Lufkin, Texas in 1940. [5] Subsequent utilization of the Southern forests spurred economic development in the region, helping the United States become one of world's leading producers of pulp and paper products.

Following the death of Herty in 1938, the Savannah Pulp and Paper Laboratory was renamed the Herty Foundation to commemorate the considerable contributions of its founder.

The primary mission of the Herty Foundation was the support the pulp and paper industry. Paper companies, chemical companies and equipment suppliers used the Herty pilot facilities to evaluate products and process equipment. Notable projects included pulping, bleaching and papermaking with bamboo and silage sycamore for the US Department of Agriculture; refiner plate evaluations for Sprout Waldron, white-water chemistry studies for the Dow Chemical Company; pilot scale pulping for various pulp mills; chlorine dioxide bleaching studies for various paper companies, and the production of specialty papers for governmental agencies.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Herty</span> American chemist, academic, entrepreneur, football coach (1867–1938)

Charles Holmes Herty Sr. was an American academic, scientist, and entrepreneur. Serving in academia as a chemistry professor to begin his career, Herty concurrently promoted collegiate athletics including creating the first varsity football team at the University of Georgia. His academic research gravitated towards applied chemistry where he revolutionized the turpentine industry in the United States. While serving as the president of the American Chemical Society, Herty became a national advocate for the nascent American chemical industry and left academia to preside over the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers' Association (SOCMA) and the Chemical Foundation. He was also instrumental in the creation of the National Institutes of Health. Towards the end of his career, Herty's research and advocacy led to the creation of a new pulp industry in the Southern United States that utilized southern pine trees to create newsprint.

Bleaching of wood pulp is the chemical processing of wood pulp to lighten its color and whiten the pulp. The primary product of wood pulp is paper, for which whiteness is an important characteristic. These processes and chemistry are also applicable to the bleaching of non-wood pulps, such as those made from bamboo or kenaf.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental effects of paper</span> Overview about the environmental effects of the paper production industry

The environmental effects of paper are significant, which has led to changes in industry and behaviour at both business and personal levels. With the use of modern technology such as the printing press and the highly mechanized harvesting of wood, disposable paper became a relatively cheap commodity, which led to a high level of consumption and waste. The rise in global environmental issues such as air and water pollution, climate change, overflowing landfills and clearcutting have all lead to increased government regulations. There is now a trend towards sustainability in the pulp and paper industry as it moves to reduce clear cutting, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel consumption and clean up its influence on local water supplies and air pollution.

Shaanxi University of Science & Technology is a university located in Shaanxi province, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper chemicals</span> Chemicals used in paper manufacturing

Paper chemicals designate a group of chemicals that are used for paper manufacturing, or modify the properties of paper. These chemicals can be used to alter the paper in many ways, including changing its color and brightness, or by increasing its strength and resistance to water. The chemicals can be defined on basis of their usage in the process.

RYAM is an American chemical company specializing in cellulose-based products. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, it produces more than 25 grades of high-purity performance fibers for products ranging from food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals to paints, filters, impact-resistant plastics, and digital display screens. In 2014, Rayonier and Rayonier Advanced Materials split into separate companies. Rayonier retained the real estate and forest resource components while RYAM took over management of the performance fibers division.

Mechanical pulping is the process in which wood is separated or defibrated mechanically into pulp for the paper industry.

References

  1. "Herty Advanced Materials Development Center".
  2. "Senate Bill 396" (PDF).
  3. "Gov. Deal signs bill to reassign Herty lab to Georgia Southern". Savannah Morning News. April 25, 2012.
  4. Reed, Germaine M. Crusading for Chemistry. pp. 303–308. ISBN   0820335525.
  5. Reed, Germaine M. Crusading for Chemistry. p. 14. ISBN   0820335525.

Further reading