Frederick W. Stavely

Frederick W. Stavely (1894-1976) was a researcher at the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company who in 1953, while investigating the reaction of butyl lithium on butadiene discovered that polymerization of isoprene with metallic lithium produced polyisoprene (dubbed "coral rubber" because of its appearance) with a high cis content.[1] High cis content is associated with enhanced strain crystallization, important during World War II because other synthetics did not exhibit the crystallization effect.

In 1950, Stavely served as chairman of the American Chemical Society Rubber Division.[2]

In 1972, Stavely received the Charles Goodyear Medal in recognition of this discovery.

References

  1. ↑ Morris, Peter J. T. (2005). Polymer Pioneers: A Popular History of the Science and Technology of Large Molecules. Chemical Heritage Foundation. p. 88. ISBN 9780941901031.
  2. ↑ "Audio interview with FW Stavely".


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