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# Title Date(s) Contributor(s) Description Description Collection ID Hagley ID Collection
1 Interview with Charles L. Reese, Jr. [transcript] 1978 A transcript of Cookie Strange's brief conversation with Charles L. Reese, Jr., President of the Wilmington News Journal. Reese recalls Carothers's social behavior and feelings about Nylon.
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_09 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
2 Interview with Gerard Bérchet, 1 August 1978 [audio] 1978-08-01 Gerard Bérchet talks about Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He discusses Nylon and its various versions, including 66 and 6, 10, as well as other projects that he and Carothers were involved with at DuPont's Experimental Station.
Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID05 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
3 Interview with John "Jack" Raven Johnson, July 1978 [audio] (part 1) 1978 Jack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in...
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Jack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in 1926, where they attended a conference in Oxford, England and heard a lecture by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and worked on research projects in Paris. While in Paris, they met fellow chemist Gerard Bérchet (1902-1990) and convinced him to immigrate to the United States. Johnson says Carothers was a voracious reader and a lover of music. He discusses three letters that that Carothers sent him while at Harvard and reads excepts to demonstrate Carothers's personality, particularly his sense of humor. Part 1.
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Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID06 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
4 Interview with William "Bill" Mapel, July 1978 [audio] 1978 Interviewer Adeline Bassett Cook Strange (also known as A.B.C Strange or Cookie) recounts her conversations with William "Bill" Mapel and his wife, Evelyn Raines Mapel. Strange says Mr. Mapel was hesitant to talk about Carothers, and she believes he thought he would be breaking Carothers's confidence. Mapel described Carothers as the closest friend he ever had, and despite Carothers's reserved demeanor, there was an "aura" around him at DuPont and in Wilmington society. Overall, Strange...
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Interviewer Adeline Bassett Cook Strange (also known as A.B.C Strange or Cookie) recounts her conversations with William "Bill" Mapel and his wife, Evelyn Raines Mapel. Strange says Mr. Mapel was hesitant to talk about Carothers, and she believes he thought he would be breaking Carothers's confidence. Mapel described Carothers as the closest friend he ever had, and despite Carothers's reserved demeanor, there was an "aura" around him at DuPont and in Wilmington society. Overall, Strange believes that much of Carothers's life was controlled by Mapel's "aggressive interests and kindness," and that Carothers was amenable to this because of his insecurities.
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Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID02 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
5 Interview with Crawford Greenewalt [transcript] 1978 Transcript of a conversation about Wallace Carothers between Crawford Greenewalt and Cookie Strange. Greenewalt discusses Carothers's personality, professional successes, depression, and marriage to Helen Sweetman. He also mentions Carother's affair with "The Dame" Silvia Moore.
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_06 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
6 Interview with Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra, 2 August 1978 [audio] (part 2) 1978-08-02 Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Cupery, Martin E. (Martin Eli), 1901-1996 (Interviewee), Dykstra, Harold Ben, 1902-1986 (Interviewee) Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra have a conversation with Cookie Strange. They primarily discuss their research with synthetic polymers, the discovery of Nylon, and "Purity Hall" at the DuPont Experimental Station. They also talk about Wallace Carothers's overall demeanor and how his gentleness and kindness made him easy to be around. Part 2.
Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID04 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
7 Interview with Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra, 2 August 1978 [audio] (part 1) 1978-08-02 Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Cupery, Martin E. (Martin Eli), 1901-1996 (Interviewee), Dykstra, Harold Ben, 1902-1986 (Interviewee) Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra have a conversation with Cookie Strange. They primarily discuss their research with synthetic polymers, the discovery of Nylon, and "Purity Hall" at the DuPont Experimental Station. They also talk about Wallace Carothers's overall demeanor and how his gentleness and kindness made him easy to be around. Part 1.
Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID03 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
8 Ferdinand Hurter, Swiss industrial chemist 1880/1898, 1880, 1898 Litchfield, Carter (collector), Lewkowitsch, J. (Julius), 1857-1913 (former owner) March 15th 1844 - March 5th, 1898
Carter Litchfield photographs and ephemera on the history of fatty materials (Accession 2007.227) 2270352 Carter Litchfield history of fatty materials collections
9 Dr. Wallace H. Carothers 1928 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator) Dr. Wallace Carothers, a promising young chemist, joined DuPont in 1928 as head of a fundamental research program in organic chemistry. Eleven years later a plant was producing the nylon that came from this research.
DuPont Company External Affairs Department photograph file (Accession 2004.268) AVD_2004268_P00000215 DuPont Company External Affairs Department photographs
10 Interview with John and Elizabeth Miles, July 1978 [audio] 1978 Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Miles, John Blanchard, Jr., 1902-1990 (Interviewee), Miles, Elizabeth Colles Lankford, 1907-1995 (Interviewee) John and Elizabeth "Lib" Miles discuss Wallace Carothers, primarily focusing on his marriage to Helen Sweetman (1911-2000). Both John and Lib express their disapproval of Ms. Sweetman and believe the marriage was a mistake, recounting several stories to support their opinions. They talk about Carothers's general personality, including his love of drinking, music, and cheese, his insecurities, and his focus, intelligence, and kindness. Carothers's work with DuPont and Nylon, his battle with...
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John and Elizabeth "Lib" Miles discuss Wallace Carothers, primarily focusing on his marriage to Helen Sweetman (1911-2000). Both John and Lib express their disapproval of Ms. Sweetman and believe the marriage was a mistake, recounting several stories to support their opinions. They talk about Carothers's general personality, including his love of drinking, music, and cheese, his insecurities, and his focus, intelligence, and kindness. Carothers's work with DuPont and Nylon, his battle with depression, and his eventual suicide are also discussed.
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Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID01 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
11 Interview with John "Jack" Raven Johnson, July 1978 [audio] (part 2) 1978 Jack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in...
Show more
Jack Johnson discusses Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He talks about Carothers's academic career, both as a student and teacher at the University of Illinois, the University of South Dakota, and Harvard University. He remembers that Carothers was called "Doc" both at the University of Illinois and later at DuPont. Johnson says he and Carothers's spent a lot of time together while in Illinois, mainly working in the chemistry lab. He talks about his and Carothers's trip to Europe in 1926, where they attended a conference in Oxford, England and heard a lecture by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and worked on research projects in Paris. While in Paris, they met fellow chemist Gerard Bérchet (1902-1990) and convinced him to immigrate to the United States. Johnson says Carothers was a voracious reader and a lover of music. He discusses three letters that that Carothers sent him while at Harvard and reads excepts to demonstrate Carothers's personality, particularly his sense of humor. Part 2.
Show less
Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers (Accession 1994.311) AUD_1994311_B01_ID07 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
12 Interview with John and Elizabeth Miles, July 1978 [transcript] 1978 A rough transcript of Cookie Strange's conversation with John and Elizabeth "Lib" Miles in July, 1978. The Miles' discuss Wallace Carothers, primarily focusing on his marriage to Helen Sweetman (1911-2000). Both John and Lib express their disapproval of Ms. Sweetman and believe the marriage was a mistake, recounting several stories to support their opinions. They talk about Carothers's general personality, including his love of drinking, music, and cheese, his insecurities, and his focus,...
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A rough transcript of Cookie Strange's conversation with John and Elizabeth "Lib" Miles in July, 1978. The Miles' discuss Wallace Carothers, primarily focusing on his marriage to Helen Sweetman (1911-2000). Both John and Lib express their disapproval of Ms. Sweetman and believe the marriage was a mistake, recounting several stories to support their opinions. They talk about Carothers's general personality, including his love of drinking, music, and cheese, his insecurities, and his focus, intelligence, and kindness. Carothers's work with DuPont and Nylon, his battle with depression, and his eventual suicide are also discussed.
Show less
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_01 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
13 Interview with Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra, 2 August 1978 [transcript] 1978-08-02 Martin E. Cupery and Harry B. Dykstra have a conversation with Cookie Strange. They discuss their research with super polymers, the discovery of Nylon, and the DuPont Experimental Station. They also talk about Wallace Carothers's overall demeanor and how his gentleness and kindness made him easy to be around.
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_03 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
14 Interview with Gerard Bérchet, 1 August 1978 [transcript] 1978-08-01 Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Berchet, Gerard J., 1902-1990 (Interviewee) Gerard Bérchet talks about Wallace Carothers with Cookie Strange. He discusses life in Paris, meeting Carothers, and his trip across the Atlantic to the United States. He also mentions Nylon and its various versions, including 66 and 6, 10, as well as other research projects that he was involved with at DuPont's Experimental Station.
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_04 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
15 Interview with William "Bill" Mapel, July 1978 [transcript] 1978 Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Mapel, William, 1902-1984 (Interviewee) Interviewer Adeline Bassett Cook Strange (also known as A.B.C Strange or Cookie) recounts her conversations with William "Bill" Mapel and his wife, Evelyn Raines Mapel. Strange says Mr. Mapel was hesitant to talk about Carothers, and she believes he thought he would be breaking Carothers's confidence. Mapel described Carothers as the closest friend he ever had, and despite Carothers's reserved demeanor, there was an "aura" around him at DuPont and in Wilmington society. Overall, Strange...
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Interviewer Adeline Bassett Cook Strange (also known as A.B.C Strange or Cookie) recounts her conversations with William "Bill" Mapel and his wife, Evelyn Raines Mapel. Strange says Mr. Mapel was hesitant to talk about Carothers, and she believes he thought he would be breaking Carothers's confidence. Mapel described Carothers as the closest friend he ever had, and despite Carothers's reserved demeanor, there was an "aura" around him at DuPont and in Wilmington society. Overall, Strange believes that much of Carothers's life was controlled by Mapel's "aggressive interests and kindness," and that Carothers was amenable to this because of his insecurities.
Show less
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_02 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
16 Charles Pederson 1987 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator) DuPont Company External Affairs Department photograph file (Accession 2004.268) AVD_2004268_P00000602 DuPont Company External Affairs Department photographs
17 Interview with Julian and Polly Hill [transcript] 1978 Strange, Adeline Bassett Cook, 1917-2004 (Interviewer), Hill, Julian W. (Julian Werner), 1904-1996 (Interviewee) Cookie Strange documents a conversation she had with Julian Hill and his wife, Polly, about Wallace Carothers. The Hills remember Carothers as a lover of music. He had a Capehart, a large radio/photograph, and would play concerts for friends at his apartment. They also discuss his affection for his sister, Isobel, and his connection to Silvia Moore.
Carothers Oral History Project (Accession 1985) MSS_1985_01_01_07 Oral history interviews on Wallace Carothers
18 Interview with Wesley Memeger, Jr., 2014 August 19 2014-08-19 Memeger, Wesley, Jr. (interviewee), Smith, John K. (John Kenly), 1951- (interviewer), Oates, Mike (videographer), 302 Stories, Inc. (production company), Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation (originator) Wesley Memeger, Jr. details his contribution to streamlining the synthesis of Kevlar, which allowed the timely start-up of the first commercial scale Kevlar plant. In the laboratory, the polymer for Kevlar had previously been prepared by polymerizing para-phenylene diamine and terephthaloyl chloride in a mixture of two solvents, HMPA (hexamethylphosphoramide) and NMP (N-methylpyrrolidinone). Memeger found that a polymer with satisfactory molecular weight could be made using only HMPA, a...
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Wesley Memeger, Jr. details his contribution to streamlining the synthesis of Kevlar, which allowed the timely start-up of the first commercial scale Kevlar plant. In the laboratory, the polymer for Kevlar had previously been prepared by polymerizing para-phenylene diamine and terephthaloyl chloride in a mixture of two solvents, HMPA (hexamethylphosphoramide) and NMP (N-methylpyrrolidinone). Memeger found that a polymer with satisfactory molecular weight could be made using only HMPA, a discovery which made the preparation of Kevlar more commercially viable, as it allowed for a continuous polymerizer in a single solvent system.

Memeger recounts that DuPont used HMPA as the solvent for Kevlar production in the early 1970s, but after toxicology tests conducted at the company's Haskell Laboratory raised doubts about the safety of the solvent, DuPont replaced HMPA with NMP and calcium chloride. Memeger describes his subsequent work at DuPont investigating melt processible polymers, which share some properties with Kevlar but lack equivalent chemical and thermal stability, as well as his work on ring opening routes to polymers with novel properties. An accomplished artist, Memeger continues to be impressed by the elegance and simplicity of the Kevlar polymer that produces such remarkable properties.
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History of Kevlar oral history interviews (Accession 2014.249) 2014249_20140819_Memeger History of Kevlar oral history interviews
19 Interview with Ted Merriman, 2015 December 4 2015-12-04 Merriman, Ted (interviewee), Smith, John K. (John Kenly), 1951- (interviewer), Oates, Mike (videographer), 302 Stories, Inc. (production company), Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation (originator) After describing his education and early work at the DuPont Savannah River plant, Merriman describes his first project at the Pioneering Laboratory at DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington in 1969 working on new uses for ceramic aluminum oxide fiber PRD-29. Merriman then details his role in developing a pulped form of Kevlar fiber that made it suitable for use in automobile brake lining in the late 1970s, after it was discovered that the standard material, asbestos fiber, caused a...
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After describing his education and early work at the DuPont Savannah River plant, Merriman describes his first project at the Pioneering Laboratory at DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington in 1969 working on new uses for ceramic aluminum oxide fiber PRD-29. Merriman then details his role in developing a pulped form of Kevlar fiber that made it suitable for use in automobile brake lining in the late 1970s, after it was discovered that the standard material, asbestos fiber, caused a particular form of lung cancer. Merriman developed a process that produced Kevlar fluff using conventional paper-making equipment. Because Kevlar cost about one hundred times as much as asbestos, brake linings had to be redesigned to use very small amounts of it. Working with brake pad manufacturers, Merriman succeeded in producing a commercially viable Kevlar brake pads that had good wear characteristics and were quieter than other types. Brake lining became a significant market for Kevlar. Merriman also describes the extensive testing on Kevlar that DuPont performed at its toxicology facility, the Haskell Laboratory, to ensure that Kevlar did not have adverse health effects.
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History of Kevlar oral history interviews (Accession 2014.249) 2014249_20151204_Merriman History of Kevlar oral history interviews
20 Interview with Herbert Blades, 2014 August 19 2014-08-19 Blades, Herbert (interviewee), Smith, John K. (John Kenly), 1951- (interviewer), Oates, Mike (videographer), 302 Stories, Inc. (production company), Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation (originator) After describing his education and early work at the DuPont Company on polymer solutions, Herbert Blades recounts his contributions to the development of Tyvek and Kevlar. On the Tyvek project, he describes developing the polymerization process for creating high-density polyethylene fibers after such paper-like fibers had been accidentally created in the laboratory.

Blades details his work on Kevlar, for which he developed a commercially viable process to spin fibers from the polymer. Blades...
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After describing his education and early work at the DuPont Company on polymer solutions, Herbert Blades recounts his contributions to the development of Tyvek and Kevlar. On the Tyvek project, he describes developing the polymerization process for creating high-density polyethylene fibers after such paper-like fibers had been accidentally created in the laboratory.

Blades details his work on Kevlar, for which he developed a commercially viable process to spin fibers from the polymer. Blades describes the three components of the process. First, he discovered that a relatively high concentration of polymer could be dissolved upon heating in 100 per cent sulfuric acid, which is non-aqueous and non-corrosive. The resulting solution had a low enough viscosity that it could be spun rapidly through a spinnerette, a small hole. Next, Blades discovered that instead of spinning the fiber directly into a water bath, leaving a small air gap led to fibers that were significantly stronger. Finally, he determined that the water "quenching" of the fiber occurred extremely fast. His spinning innovations made it possible to spin Kevlar fibers economically and at high speeds.
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History of Kevlar oral history interviews (Accession 2014.249) 2014249_20140819_Blades History of Kevlar oral history interviews
21 Research chemist conducting explosives research 1945 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator), Stewart, Willard S., 1915-2003 (photographer) At the DuPont Company's Experimental Station, Wilmington Delaware, this Explosives Department research chemist uses high vacuum, glass equipment in a study that may lead to a new chemical compound or a new and better way of making a known compound. The work is part of the department's fundamental research program aimed at the discovery of new products outside the explosives field.
DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341) 1972341_0663 DuPont Company product information collection
22 Drying treated samples of textiles 1955 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator) Textile chemicals to make cotton and rayon resist creasing and mildew are aims of research by DuPont chemist shown here drying treated samples in this laboratory at the Experimental Station. Textile chemical research stems from early work on dyes.
DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341) 1972341_2647 DuPont Company product information collection
23 Observing a catalytic reaction 1955 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator) The catalytic reaction being observed by this DuPont scientist is part of the Electrochemicals Department's long range research program. One dramatic result of this type of research was a new process for making vinyl acetate, a polymer intermediate important in the manufacture of polyvinyl acetate resin emulsion adhesives and paints.
DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341) 1972341_2700 DuPont Company product information collection
24 Member of the staff of the Eastern Laboratory of the DuPont Company's Explosives Department 1945 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator) Shown at his laboratory bench is a member of the staff of the Eastern Laboratory of the DuPont Company's Explosives Department at Gibbstown, New Jersey. Established in 1902, this was the first of DuPont's research laboratories and is believed to represent the earliest organized research effort in the American Chemical industry. Its staff, which now numbers more than 200 men and women, has contributed many important developments in the field of industrial and military explosives. The...
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Shown at his laboratory bench is a member of the staff of the Eastern Laboratory of the DuPont Company's Explosives Department at Gibbstown, New Jersey. Established in 1902, this was the first of DuPont's research laboratories and is believed to represent the earliest organized research effort in the American Chemical industry. Its staff, which now numbers more than 200 men and women, has contributed many important developments in the field of industrial and military explosives. The laboratory has also served as a training ground for men who have helped staff some of the company's other research laboratories that today total more than 30.
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DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341) 1972341_0665 DuPont Company product information collection
25 Testing for moisture content in dynamite ingredients 1945 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (originator), Richie, Robert Yarnall, photographer (photographer) A chemical test at the DuPont Company's Eastern Laboratory in Gibbstown New Jersey determines moisture content in dynamite ingredients. Here a chemist boils a sample with carbon tetrachloride and measures the amount of water. At Eastern Laboratory, research is carried out on blasting supplies, dynamite and other high explosives and their intermediates and miscellaneous organic and inorganic chemicals.
DuPont Company Product Information photographs (Accession 1972.341) 1972341_0662 DuPont Company product information collection

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