Wallace Carothers

Wallace Carothers was an American chemist whose pioneering research in polymer chemistry led to the invention of the world's first fully synthetic fiber, nylon, and the synthetic rubber neoprene. As the head of DuPont's research group in Wilmington, Delaware, he made foundational contributions to the understanding of macromolecules and polycondensation reactions. His work fundamentally transformed the textile industry and established DuPont as a leader in synthetic materials.

Early life and education

Born in Burlington, Iowa, he displayed an early aptitude for science and mechanics. He initially attended Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines before pursuing chemistry at Tarkio College in Missouri, where he eventually became an instructor. He earned his Bachelor of Science from University of Illinois in 1920 and completed his Ph.D. in organic chemistry there in 1924 under the guidance of Roger Adams. Following his doctorate, he served as an instructor at the University of Illinois and later at Harvard University, where his research began to focus on the structure of complex organic molecules.

Career at DuPont

In 1928, he was recruited by DuPont executive Charles Stine to lead the company's new fundamental research program in organic chemistry at the DuPont Experimental Station. This initiative, part of DuPont's "Purity Hall", was highly unusual for an industrial laboratory at the time, as it emphasized basic science without immediate commercial goals. He assembled a talented team, including chemists like Julian Hill, and focused on investigating the formation of large molecules through condensation polymerization. His group's systematic work provided critical evidence supporting the macromolecular theory of Hermann Staudinger, proving that polymers were genuine, large molecules and not mere aggregates.

Invention of nylon

The path to nylon began with his team's investigation of polyesters. In 1930, Julian Hill, a member of his group, discovered that a molten polyester could be drawn into strong, elastic fibers, a process later termed "cold drawing." While these early polyesters were unsuitable for textiles due to low melting points, the discovery was pivotal. Shifting focus to polyamides, his team synthesized a series of compounds. On February 28, 1935, a team under his direction, led by Donald Coffman, produced fiber from polyamide 6-6, formed from hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid. This material, patented by DuPont and later named "nylon", exhibited superior strength, elasticity, and a high melting point, leading to its first commercial product, nylon stockings, in 1939.

Other contributions and patents

Beyond nylon, his research yielded other commercially vital materials. In 1930, his team investigated divinylacetylene and discovered that a product of its reaction with hydrogen chloride could be polymerized into a synthetic rubber. This material was developed into neoprene, marketed by DuPont as "Duprene", which was resistant to oil, heat, and chemicals. He held over fifty U.S. patents, covering a wide range of polymer syntheses and processes. His theoretical work on step-growth polymerization and the Carothers equation, which relates the degree of polymerization to the extent of reaction, remains a cornerstone of polymer science.

Personal life and death

Despite his professional success, he suffered from severe bouts of depression and had a long-standing concern that he had exhausted his scientific creativity. In 1936, he married Helen Sweetman, a DuPont employee, but his mental health continued to decline. On April 28, 1937, two days after his fifty-first birthday and while staying at a hotel in Philadelphia, he committed suicide by ingesting potassium cyanide dissolved in lemon juice. He was posthumously awarded the William H. Nichols Medal by the American Chemical Society in 1937. His legacy endures through the ubiquitous synthetic materials that originated from his laboratory.

Category:American chemists Category:DuPont people Category:Inventors of polymers Category:Suicides by poisoning in the United States