Washington DC, June 12, 2002 -- President George W. Bush presented the National Medal of Technology to The Dow Chemical Company today in a ceremony at the White House. Accepting the Medal from the president was Michael D. Parker, president and chief executive officer of Dow. Parker accepted the award on behalf of Dow''s 50,000 employees around the world.
The National Medal of Technology is the highest honor bestowed by the President of the United States on America''s leading innovators. Enacted by Congress in 1980, the Medal was first awarded in 1985. It is given annually to individuals, teams, or companies for accomplishments in the innovation, development, commercialization, and management of technology, as evidenced by the establishment of new or significantly improved products, processes, or services.
According to the official citation, Dow was awarded the National Medal of Technology "for the vision to create great science and innovative technology in the chemical industry and the positive impact that commercialization of this technology has had on society." The National Medal cites technical breakthroughs that, when combined with existing capabilities, enabled the development of new, advanced products that offer consumers many benefits. The honored breakthroughs were for advanced materials development such as metallocene catalysts/polyolefins INSITE® technology and the invention of new polymers for use in electronics manufacturing, including SiLK® dielectric resin for use in integrated circuit devices and polymer light emitting diodes for use in displays.
Reflecting on the significance of the award for Dow, Parker stated, "This medal symbolizes the contribution chemistry makes to improving the quality of life for people the world over. Chemistry is the fuel of our modern world and enables virtually every other industry. The Medal acknowledges the significant contributions Dow scientists have made to the advancement of technology. It is their innovation, and their passion for finding a better way, that makes advances like those represented here today possible."
Practical Applications and Benefits of Dow Metallocene Catalysis
Advances in metallocene catalysis have led to advances from more durable and flexible high performance athletic shoes to food and beverage packaging that extends shelf life and value for consumers, to name just a couple.
The metallocene catalysts invented by Dow, called "constrained geometry catalysts," along with material science and process technology, form the basis of INSITE technology. This integrated approach has allowed better molecular design and creation of several new polyolefin product families. Products such as new elastomers, plastomers, thermoplastics, adhesives, and waxes either have been or are being commercially introduced, demonstrating the utility and flexibility of INSITE technology. INSITE technology means lower costs, improved recyclability, less material usage, and better performing polymers.
Metallocene catalyst technology has led to other developments, including QUESTRA® syndiotactic polystyrene, a family of crystalline polymers to meet the needs of the electronic communications marketplace for high-flow materials to form the thinner walls of today''s connector housings.
Advances In Electronic Materials
The National Medal also cites Dow for advances in the development of advanced materials for the electronics industry. A recent example is a new organic polymer, SiLK dielectric resin, which was invented, developed, and commercialized by Dow for the fabrication of high performance integrated circuits. This new material was developed specifically to meet a critical need of the microelectronics industry, enabling the construction of microchips that are faster, use less power, and integrate more complex functions. The invention of SiLK will mean better and faster computers.
In addition, new light-emitting polymers were developed and commercialized for the fabrication of an entirely new class of display devices, which are brighter, thinner, and more energy efficient at equivalent brightness. This will mean easier to read displays on cellular telephones and other electronic text messages.
"This medal is validation that a 105-year-old company such as ours can still be an innovator," Parker stated. "Driven by our commitment to sustainable development, we are investing in a range of exciting innovations that range from plastics that enhance the safety of automobiles to plastics made from renewable resources -- like the lactose found in corn and sugar beets," he concluded.