Whinfield, John

Polyethylene Terephthalates. PET, Fiber forming polyesiers prepd from terephthalic acid, q.v. or its esters and ethylene glycol Whinfield, Dickson, U.S. pat. 2,465,-319 (1949 to du Pom). Review of structures, definition of trade names R. W. Moncrieff, Man-Made Fibres (John... 

Polyester polymers are materials which exhibit various chemistries but all contain ester linkages in the polymer chain. They have attained industrial importance as moulded materials, fibres, packaging film and as structural materials which are reinforced with fibres and fillers. Chemists, John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson, employees of the Calico Printer s Association of Manchester, patented polyethylene terephthalate in 1941, after advancing the early research of Wallace Carothers. Poly (ethylene terephthalate) is the basis of polyester fibres and fizzy drinks botdes. The first polyester fibre known as Terylene was also developed in 1941. 

British chemists John Whinfield (1901-66) and J. Dickson develop Terylene (Dacron). 

The condensation method can be also applied to two different molecules, and the respective process is called copolymerization. For example, as shown in Figure 6.4b, usage of a mixture of a di-acid molecule and ethylene glycol (di-alcohol) leads to a certain version of polyester, which is used for making very durable clothing known by the names polyester. Dacron, and Terylene. The British chemists John R. Whinfield and James T. Dickson invented Terylene (a common type of polyester). 

English chemists John Whinfield and James T. Dickson... 

In 1926, United States-based E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. initiated research in the field of very large molecules and synthetic fibers. This early research, headed by W.H. Carothers, concentrated on polymer which became nylon, the first synthetic fiber. Soon after, in the years 1939 1, John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson, employees of the Calico Printer s Association of Manchester, patented "polyethylene terephthalate" (also called PET or PETE) in 1941. Polyethylene terephthalate is the basis of synthetic fibers such as polyester, dacron, and terylene. In 1946, du Pont purchased the right to produce this polyester fiber in the United States. The company conducted some further developmental work, and in 1951, began to market the fiber under the name Dacron. Dupont s polyester research led to a whole range of trade-marked products, such as Mylar (1952), which is an extraordinarily strong polyester (PET) film, and others. 

Person to discover - John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson ... 

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