Harry CooverBorn 6 Mar 1917; died 26 Mar 2011 at age 94.American chemist and inventor who invented Super Glue™. He accidentally discovered (1951) the adhesive properties of cyanoacrylate monomers that needed neither heat nor pressure to permanently bond between various surfaces. He patented the formula (U.S. No.2,768,109) with the title “Alcohol-Catalyzed Cyanoacrylate Adhesive Compositions/Superglue.” It was first marketed (1958) under the “Eastman 910” name, after his employer, Eastman Kodak. From 1963, it has been sold as Loctite “Super Glue.” Memorable advertising showed a car lifted by a crane using an attachment bonded with just a few drops. Its versatility extends to derivatives used for repairing arteries, veins, teeth and as a spray to seal open wounds of soldiers during combat in Vietnam. Coover held 460 patents in his lifetime. After Eastman, he joined Loctite as its president.« |
