Joseph C. Patrick

Dr. Joseph Cecil Patrick (August 28, 1892 – April 12, 1965) invented Thiokol, America's first synthetic rubber in the early 1920s.¹ While seeking a formulation for automotive antifreeze, he attempted to hydrolyze ethylene dichloride with sodium polysulfide. In doing so, he produced a brown, insoluble gum that later became known as Thiokol.²³ He solved commercial production problems by inventing the suspension polymerization process, and solved compounding problems by degrading high molecular weight polymer to a low molecular weight liquid polymer. This material is one of the principal binders for rocket propellant.⁴ Patrick's most cited research publication treated the subject of high molecular weight polymers.⁵

Patrick was the 1958 recipient of the Charles Goodyear Medal.⁶

References

"This isn't Antifreeze!". The Polymer Science Learning Center. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
Herbert, Attilio Bisio., Vernon (1985). Synthetic Rubber: A Project That Had to Succeed. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.
Edwards, Douglas C. (2001). "Chap. 5 - Liquid Rubber". In Bhowmick, Anil K.; Stephens, Howard (eds.). Handbook of Elastomers, Second Edition (First ed.). Marcel Dekker Inc. p. 135. ISBN 0-8247-0383-9. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
Seymour, Raymond B. (1989). "J.C. Patrick Father of American Synthetic Elastomers". Pioneers in Polymer Science. Springer. pp. 111–118. doi:10.1007/978-94-009-2407-9_9. ISBN 978-94-009-2407-9.
Patrick, J. C. (1936). "The formation of high polymers by condensation between metallic poly-sulphides and dihalogenated hydrocarbons and ethers". Transactions of the Faraday Society. 32: 347–357. doi:10.1039/TF9363200347.
"Charles Goodyear Medallists" (PDF). www.rubber.org. American Chemical Society, Rubber Division. 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2015.

[1] "This isn't Antifreeze!". The Polymer Science Learning Center. Retrieved March 17, 2014.

[2] Herbert, Attilio Bisio., Vernon (1985). Synthetic Rubber: A Project That Had to Succeed. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.

[hb-elast-p135-3] Edwards, Douglas C. (2001). "Chap. 5 - Liquid Rubber". In Bhowmick, Anil K.; Stephens, Howard (eds.). Handbook of Elastomers, Second Edition (First ed.). Marcel Dekker Inc. p. 135. ISBN 0-8247-0383-9. Retrieved February 8, 2015.

[4] Seymour, Raymond B. (1989). "J.C. Patrick Father of American Synthetic Elastomers". Pioneers in Polymer Science. Springer. pp. 111–118. doi:10.1007/978-94-009-2407-9_9. ISBN 978-94-009-2407-9.

[5] Patrick, J. C. (1936). "The formation of high polymers by condensation between metallic poly-sulphides and dihalogenated hydrocarbons and ethers". Transactions of the Faraday Society. 32: 347–357. doi:10.1039/TF9363200347.

[cgm-recip-6] "Charles Goodyear Medallists" (PDF). www.rubber.org. American Chemical Society, Rubber Division. 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2015.

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