1941 - Technology

Technology

English chemist John Rex Whinfield, 40, and his colleague James T. (Tennant) Dickson at the Calico Printer's Association of Manchester patent a new polyester fiber made from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol (see nylon, 1939). Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) will market fabrics based on polyethylene terephthalate after the war under the name Terylene, E. I. du Pont will purchase U.S. rights in 1945, develop it further with modified nylon technology, and market it beginning in 1950 as Dacron (see Orlon, 1950; Mylar, 1952).