John C Becker
John C Becker | |
|---|---|
| Residence | Palmer, Massachusetts, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Known for | Zero-VOC and nanotechnology-enhanced coatings; thermally responsive roofing |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Materials science, polymer chemistry, coatings technology |
John C. Becker IV is an American materials innovator, entrepreneur and patent holder based in Palmer, Massachusetts. He is the founder and president of Creative Material Technologies, Ltd. and of NanoSOLV Technologies, LLC, and is known for his work in high-performance, zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) coatings, nanotechnology-enhanced coatings, and heat-conversion materials such as thermally responsive roofing.
Biography
Becker is from Massachusetts and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His interest in chemistry came from his father, a chemist who developed fine-particle latex chemistry, and Becker grew up conducting experiments in the family garage and working in his father's chemical raw-materials distribution business. He began his career in chemical raw-material distribution at Bechem Technical Sales, Inc., before moving into formulation work and, ultimately, product invention, giving him a perspective that spanned raw-material sales, formulation and patent holding.
In 1997 Becker founded Creative Material Technologies, Ltd., a designer and manufacturer of coating, casting and composite systems located in Palmer, Massachusetts. He later established NanoSOLV Technologies, LLC, where he serves as president.
Work
Becker's work centers on two recurring themes: increasing the mechanical or physical properties of a system while simultaneously improving the health and safety of that system. He describes his method as a "design by purpose" approach, developing coatings that adapt to the condition of an existing substrate rather than fighting it, and works largely in zero-VOC and nanotechnology-enhanced formulations.
Among his developments is a thermally responsive ("smart") roofing system for flat roofs that appears white in summer to reflect heat and turns black in winter to absorb heat, converting the roof surface between heat-reflecting and heat-absorbing states with the seasons. Other products include the Water Chasing waterproofing line, which applies primers to wet concrete to form internal vapor barriers; Roof Renaissance, a squeegee-applied coating system for extending roof service life; and asphalt-shingle restoration coatings. A number of his formulations, such as clear polyurea spray-on coatings, are held as in-house trade secrets rather than patented.
Honors
Becker's thermally responsive roofing technology was ranked by Lux Research as a leading emerging coating technology internationally. He has spoken at professional coatings-industry meetings, including PCI (Paint & Coatings Industry) conferences.