Dow Researchers Win Award for Polymer Invention

Texas - July 13, 2007

Next time you squeeze that perfect portion of toothpaste on your toothbrush or cover your fries with ketchup, you may be holding an award-winning packaging product in your hands. A team of Dow researchers that invented these polymers has won the “Inventors of the Year Award” given by the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association (HIPLA).

The polymers are used in single or multiple layers for a number of applications such as part of the structure for toothpaste tubes and the small foil condiment pouches used at restaurants and fast-food outlets. Juice boxes and dry food packaging, among many other applications, also often contain the polymers.

The annual Inventors of the Year Award generally is given for mature technology that has a proven commercial impact in the Gulf Coast area or was invented in the area. None of the patents involved in the award may be in litigation or any other such proceeding.

The group, which includes researchers David Eversdyk, Michael Rowland, David Flores, and Osborne McKinney (now also a patent attorney), invented improved  ethylene/carboxylic acid copolymers and the process to manufacture them. They received three United States patents and two European patents for this technology during the 1980s and 1990s.

"These polymers tend to stick very well to materials such as metals," said Dow attorney Stephen Krupp, who nominated the team. "Adhesive applications, using the polymer alone or in combination with other materials, have a global market reach, particularly in everyday items.”

Part of the science behind the widespread use of these copolymers is their relatively narrow molecular weight distribution and low gel content. Low gel content is a required property because gel molecules often tangle, causing processing and clarity issues. Low gel content is required for good clarity and processability, especially for end-use applications such as film, while narrow molecular weight distribution allows for transparency. Also, low gel content also is important in multi-layer structures where gels can cause dimpling and other imperfections.

Dow sells the polymers under the trademark PRIMACOR* copolymers. The company has commercialized and sells hundreds of millions of pounds of products produced with this technology at its Freeport, Texas and Tarragona, Spain facilities.

"This group has made a tremendous contribution to the industry and to keeping our food and hygiene products safe for consumers," Krupp said. "I think it is really remarkable that such a talented group of individuals have remained at Dow throughout so much of their careers."

About Dow

*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company

For Editorial Information:

Tracie Copeland
The Dow Chemical Company
979-238-3792