Donald Fletcher Holmes | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 September 1910 |
| Died | 13 October 1980 (aged 70) |
| Alma mater | Amherst College (1931) University of Illinois |
| Known for | Co-inventor of the process to develop multipurpose material polyurethane |
| Awards | National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee (1991) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Institutions | DuPont |
Donald Fletcher Holmes (September 29, 1910 – October 13, 1980) was an American chemist and inventor. Holmes, along with William Hanford, invented the process for making the multipurpose material polyurethane.[1] He received the polyurethane patent in 1942.[1] Mixing polyols and hydroxyl compounds with di-isocyanates is the basis today for the manufacture of all polyurethanes. Polyurethane can be used in, but is not limited to, life-saving artificial hearts, safety padding in modern automobiles, and in carpeting.
Holmes was born in Woodbury, New Jersey.[1] In 1931, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Organic Chemistry from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He would later earn a master's and doctorate from the University of Illinois.[1] Holmes was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1991.[1]