Fred Aftalion's international perspective of the history of chemistry integrates the story of chemical science with that of chemical industry. This new edition includes events from 1990 to 2000, when major companies began selling off their divisions, seeking to specialize in a particular business. Aftalion explores the pitfalls these companies encountered as well as the successes of "contrarians"--those companies that remained broad and diversified. He uses BASF, Dow, and Bayer as examples of true contrarians.

How the chemical engineering behemoth that brought us Teflon, Kevlar, Lycra, Freon, and more shaped the culture of postwar America. What do nylon stockings and atomic bombs have in common? DuPont. The chemical firm of DuPont de Nemours pioneered the development of both nylon and plutonium, among countless other innovations, playing an important role in the rise of mass consumption and the emergence of the notorious “military-industrial complex.” In this fascinating account of the lives and careers of Du Pont’s chemical engineers, Pap A. Ndiaye deftly illustrates the contribution of industry to the genesis of a dominant post–World War II “American model” connecting prosperity with security. The consumer and military dimensions of twentieth-century American history are often studied separately. Ndiaye reunites them by examining Du Pont’s development of nylon, which symbolized a new way of life, and plutonium, which was synonymous with annihilation. Reflecting on the experiences and contributions of the company’s engineers and physicists, Ndiaye traces Du Pont’s transformation into one of the corporate models of American success.

"Covers global and domestic competition, marketing strategies, operating expenses, and environmental and safety regulations for chemical professionals at all levels. Contains up-to-date mergers and acquisitions of chemical companies."

This book provides a comprehensive, critical study of research and development in a large US corporation.

Their story makes for exciting history, and this book tells how they did it.

This book looks at the powerful family behind the world's largest chemical company. The Du Ponts are one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the world. From their complex of buildings in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, they direct the workings of a vast network of interlocking companies that encompasses the world. They rule the state of Delaware as their private duchy, and they influence and control the lives of thousands of employees and millions of citizens. Here is the truly revealing story of this family, from the arrival in this country of Eleuthere Irenee du Pont, who was to found the firm that thought of itself as 'America's armorer.