hes currently working on one of his more novel undertakings polymer-encased rifle cartridges for garland-based ammunition manufacturer true velocity among their advantages over traditional brass cartridges the composite variety transfer much less heat to the rifle chamber due to the insulating properties of the polymer case while their refigured dimensions allow for improved accuracy theyre also 30% lighter than traditional brass a detail that has caught the attention of the us military since the reduced weight would lower the costs of shipping them in bulk and enable soldiers to carry additional rounds the heart of mcafees mission along with his science is his polymer characterization lab after first meeting with his customer to ascertain their needs and specifications mcafee utilizes an array of state-of-the-art equipment and analytical techniques to precisely identify the polymers chemical composition infrared instruments create a chemical fingerprint of a material; thermal analysis is used to determine its melting molding and crystallization temperatures; and x-ray fluorescence identifies its elemental composition by combining his raw material with carefully selected reinforcement polymers mcafee then executes the art of his science successfully tailoring the properties of the resulting composite such as its flexibility or heat resistance to meet specific requirements polymers are the new material of the last 20 30 years kind of like 100 years ago when it was all about metals and alloys mcafee said sustainability is a hot topic right now and businesses are wanting to do it; thats why im doing my best to teach and educate my clients the knowledge base is expanding and the economics are becoming increasingly favorable as more companies are utilizing this technology mcafee began working with synthetic polymers as a career in 1989 first with the dow chemical company followed by a stint with the chase elastomer corporation in 1994 both of which he credits for inspiring his interest in rubber-plastic composites wanting the freedom to dictate his own schedule and choose projects more suited to his interests mcafee decided to break away from the corporate structure in 1996 when he and his wife debbie founded mcafee consulting while mcafee handles the research and analysis in the lab debbie oversees the legalities and financial side of things a partnership that has kept their company thriving even when recessions and other adverse national events bring the economy to a crawl debbie brings a completely different knowledge and skillset to the table and we make a great team mcafee said im blessed to have her in my life its always easier to be in business when the cash is flowing but the biggest challenge is staying in business when it isnt thats where you learn what youre made of you also learn that failure isnt an option stopping isnt an option quitting going back those are unacceptable outcomes mcafee remains humble about the success hes seen as an entrepreneur inventor and researcher he says he simply chased the science and followed the opportunities it presented a journey he insists truly began when he came to texas a&m in 1985 for his phd in chemistry world-class professors and the competitive nature of his peers helped set the standard for his career i wanted to be on the world stage at the best place there is for chemistry and that was texas a&m university mcafee said iron sharpens iron and the best make each other better texas a&m had it all and it made me in my opinion the scientist i am today