Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fuels and Chemicals Research Helps Win World War II

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Primed for Success: The Story of Scientific Design Company

  • 419 Accesses

Abstract

Research on high octane fuels carried out by some oil companies and UOP also branched out into research that could produce chemicals from petroleum fractions and natural gas liquids. Union Carbide, Exxon, Shell, and Dow became pioneers in early petrochemical R&D. All of this research proves immensely valuable as the U.S. is drawn into World War II and the synthetic rubber and aviation gasoline programs. The important relationship between Exxon and I.G. Farben is discussed. Commercialization of polyethylene, polystyrene and PVC as well as nylon and polyester fibers occurs just before or during the war.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Spitz (1988).

  2. 2.

    J.N. Compton (1937) Informal Personal Observations on the history of the Carbide and Carbon Chemical Company.

  3. 3.

    G. O. Curme, Jr. Industrial Toolmaker. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry 27. February 232–230.

  4. 4.

    The West Virginia Encyclopedia.

  5. 5.

    Robert L. Pig ford (1976) Chemical Technology: the past 100 years. Chemical & Engineering News, April 6, 1976.

  6. 6.

    P. H. Spitz op. cit. 81.

  7. 7.

    Gornowski (1980).

  8. 8.

    P. H. Spitz op.cit. 95.

  9. 9.

    Popular Mechanics July 1949 125ff.

  10. 10.

    Hounshell and Smith (1988).

  11. 11.

    Ndiaye (2007).

  12. 12.

    Hounshell op.cit. 207.

  13. 13.

    Furter (1980).

  14. 14.

    Howard (1947).

  15. 15.

    Alan Gropman (1996) Institute for National Strategic Studies, Washington. Mobilizing U.S. Industry in World War II. 102.

  16. 16.

    Howard (1947) op.cit. 187.

  17. 17.

    Fair (1992).

  18. 18.

    Ibid.

  19. 19.

    Chemical Economics Handbook SRI International.

  20. 20.

    P. H. Spitz op cit. 309.

  21. 21.

    Chapman (1991).

  22. 22.

    Frank Howard op.cit. 241.

References

  • David A. Hounshell, John Kenly Smith, Jr. (1988) Science and Corporate Strategy Cambridge University Press, New York. 481.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edward J. Gornowski (1980) The History of Chemical Engineering at Exxon. Advances in Chemistry, Vol. 190. June 1, 1980. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank A, Howard (1947) Buna Rubber. D. Van Nostrand Company Inc. New York. 13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jim Fair (1992) Oral History Program. Chemical Heritage Foundation. Philadelphia, PA 187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keith Chapman (1991) The International Chemical Industry Blackwell, Oxford, UK. 75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pap A. Ndiaye (2007) Nylon and Bombs. DuPont and the March of Modern America. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 92.

    Google Scholar 

  • P.H. Spitz (1988) Petrochemicals. The Rise of an Industry.. John Wiley & Sons. New York. 70–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • William F. Furter (1980) History of Chemical Engineering. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. 291.

    Google Scholar 

Bibliography

  • American Chemical Society. (1977) A Brief History of Chemistry in the Kanawha Valley. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beaton, Kendall (1957) Enterprise in Oil. A History of Shell in the United States. Appleton-Century-Crofts. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, David (1943) The Goodyear Research Laboratory. Goodyear. Akron, Ohio.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, Carleton (1937) The Chemistry of Petroleum Derivatives. Reinhold. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gropman, Alan L. (1996) Mobilizing U.S. Industry in World War II. Institute for National Strategic Studies, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, Peter J. (1989) The American Synthetic Rubber Research Program. University of Pennsylvania Press Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popple, Charles. Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) in World War II. Standard Oil, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisch, Mark S. (1998) From Coal Tar to Crafting a Wealth of Diversity. C&EN Northeast News Bureau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, Rever I. ed.(1978) A History of Technology, The Twentieth Century, c. 1900–1950. Vol. V. Oxford, Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scarsdale, NY, USA

    Peter H. Spitz

Authors
  1. Peter H. Spitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter H. Spitz .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Spitz, P.H. (2019). Fuels and Chemicals Research Helps Win World War II. In: Primed for Success: The Story of Scientific Design Company. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12314-7_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation