Fr. Julius Nieuwland: "He successfully polymerized acetylene into divinylacetylene"


Adapted from "This Rock" magazine, September 2008.

"The Holy Cross priest Julius Nieuwland [1878 - 1936] was concerned with practical solutions in his field of chemistry.

"In the quiet halls of scientific study, he successfully polymerized acetylene into divinylacetylene.

"Elmer Bolton, the director of research at Du Pont, used this basic research to achieve the development of neoprene.

"Embraced by the Du Pont Company, the invention had a major impact on many industries and our daily lives.

"For example, neoprene is used for electrical cable insulation, telephone wiring, rug backings, and roofing."

But not so sucessful with Knute Rockne!!


"Fr. Nieuwland also nearly had a major impact on the history of college football when he tried -- unsuccesfully -- to convince the future coahcing legend of Notre Dame, Knute Rockne, to be a chemist instead of a football coach.

Father kept up with his botany, too!


"Not to neglect his botany, Nieuwland roamed throughout swamps and woods looking for suitable specimens for study, and he was famed for using a pistol to shoot them down from high branches.

"For his work in chemistry, not marksmanship, he was given the Morehead Medal for research in acetylene, the American Institute Medal, and the Nichols Medal, the highest honor of the American Chemical Society."