Polymers, patents, profits : a classic case study for patent infighting : Karl Ziegler, the Team, 1953-1998

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any Groundbreaking Scientific Discovery Or Invention Is Potentially Of General Interest And Is Therefore Also The Basis For Profitable Follow-up Developments And Innovations. From The Scientist's Point Of View It Is Desirable To Save His Innovative Achievements For His Own Profit. This Why The State Grants Exclusive Rights To The Scientist In The Form Of Patents. In Turn, The Scientist Has To Disclose The Details Of The Discovery.

in The Mid 1950s, Nobel Prizewinner Karl Ziegler And His Colleagues At The Max Planck Institute Of Carbon Research Established A Technology That Had An Outstanding Impact On The Worldwide Production Of Polypropylenes And Polyethylenes, The Fundamental Components Of The Plastics Industry.

this Is The Fascinating, First-hand Story Of The Patent Fights Between The Research Team And The Giants Of The Petrochemicals Industry, Such As Du Pont And Esso. The Author Was Part Of Ziegler's Group Throughout The Entire Period, Resulting Here In An Entertaining Case Study Of An Innovative Chemical Discovery, Presenting Interesting Historical As Well As Scientific Information.

an Impressive Example Of The Fights Between Academia And Industry Concerning Patent Rights And The Economic Utilization Of Academic Research Innovations.

Any groundbreaking scientific discovery or invention is potentially of general interest and is therefore also the basis for profitable follow-up developments and innovations. One of the most valuable inventions, developed during 1953/54, its ups and downs exploiting the patent rights during the following half century are the subject of a fascinating first-hand story, told by a co-inventor, Heinz Martin. Nobel prize winner Karl Ziegler was the director of the Max-Planck-Institute of coal research at Mülheim, Germany, in which the team established a new technology - a new catalyst system, the Ziegler catalysts - to produce polyethylene and polypropylene. The worldwide profitable production of high percentage of such plastics relative to the total plastic sale was not free of conflicts between the owner of the patents and "giants" of the petrochemical industry, such as Du Pont, Esso, BASF, Hercules, Shell, Phillips Petroleum and many more. -- from back cover This is the fascinating, first-hand story of the groundbreaking invention by Nobel prizewinner Karl Ziegler and the patent fights between his research team at the Max Planck Institute of Carbon Research in Germany and the "giants" of the petrochemicals industry, such as Du Pont and Esso. The author joined Ziegler's group throughout the entire period, providing an entertaining case study of an innovative chemical discovery, presenting interesting historical as well as scientific information. An impressive example of the fights between academia and industry concerning patent rights and the economic utilization of academic research innovations.