 
Invention of PVC Plastic
Waldo L. Semon (1898-1999), a native of Hudson,
Ohio, was a young
research chemist with the
B.F. Goodrich Company in Akron in 1926 when he
attempted to invent a method for converting a waste plastic (called polyvinyl
chloride or PVC) into an adhesive that could bond metal to rubber. "People
thought of PVC as worthless back then," Semon explained. "They'd throw it in the
trash."
 Semon
did not succeed with this venture, but through the process of heating the
PVC he inadvertently discovered a substance that was both flexible and
elastic. Applications for the PVC did not come along instantly, but over
time the substance has become the world's second-best-selling plastic,
generating billions of dollars in annual sales.
In 1933, a U.S.
patent
was issued to Semon, titled "Synthetic Rubber-like Composition and Method of
Making Same" (U.S. No. 1,929,453). The patent suggested a variety of uses for
the product, including water-proofing and flooring. PVC is the key ingredient in
plastic piping and was also used to manufacture phonograph records.
Down the road, Semon's research also helped lead to the
discovery of thermoplastic polyurethane and the first oil-resistant synthetic
rubbers. He also is said to have helped pioneer bubble gum.
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