Carl S. Marvel Creative Polymer Chemistry Award

1999

Joseph M. DeSimone, Mary Ann Smith Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina ‚ Chapel Hill and Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, will receive the 1999 Carl S. Marvel Creative Polymer Chemistry Award of the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry, sponsored by the Dow Chemical Company Foundation.

The Carl S. Marvel award recognizes accomplishments and innovations of unusual merit in the field of basic or applied polymer science by younger scientists. Since receiving his Ph.D. under the direction of Prof. Jim McGrath (Virginia Tech.) in 1990, DeSimone has established himself as the pioneer of solvent-free polymerization and processing in CO2 ‚ an innovation with profound global impact for polymer science and environmentally responsible chemical manufacturing.

As Assistant Professor at UNC-CH, DeSimone reported (Science 1992, 257, 945) the polymerization of fluorinated olefins to high molecular weight fluoropolymers in environmentally benign supercritical CO2, thereby demonstrating the avoidance of traditional chlorofluorocarbons in this technology. Two years later, he reported (Science 1994, 265, 356) the design and use of specialized surfactants for the heterogeneous emulsion / dispersion polymerization of acrylic and styrenic monomers in a supercritical CO2 continuous phase. This industrially and environmentally friendly breakthrough offered hope to a multitude of commodity plastics manufacturers who at present must process billions of pounds of contaminated waste water each year. DeSimone then expanded (Science 1996, 274, 2049 and Nature 1997, 389I, 368) his discovery of "CO2-philic" and "CO2-phobic" surfactants to include the synthesis of block and graft copolymers with tailored supramolecular structure. Today Prof. DeSimone continues to lead the implementation of his work as Co-Director of the Kenan Center for the Utilization of Carbon Dioxide in Manufacturing and as Co-Founder and Chairman of MICELL Technologies ‚ a leading distributor of liquid CO2 equipment designed to replace over 30 billion pounds of solvents used in professional garment care and other industries.

Prof. DeSimone has also made significant contributions to other areas of polymer chemistry including; the synthesis of novel step growth polymers, new materials and techniques for microlithography, living polymerization, and synthetic methods for polymer end-group control. His work has resulted in over 80 publications, 25 patents, and professional honors including; a NSF Young Investigator Award, a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, and an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship. He currently serves on the editorial board of Journal of Applied Polymer Science and High Performance Polymers. The Carl S. Marvel ‚ Creative Polymer Chemistry Award will be presented to Prof. DeSimone during the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Anaheim, CA on March 21-25.