John C. Swallow
ICI Plastics Division
Inducted 2008
Dr. John Swallow was born in Kingsbridge, Devon, England. He studied chemistry at Queen Mary College in London, and upon graduation, he spent two years studying low-temperature reactions under Professor Kamerlingh Onnes at Leiden University, The Netherlands. He then joined the Brunner Mond Company as a research chemist at Winnington, England in 1924, just before Brunner Mond’s merger with Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in 1926.
In 1928, Dr. Swallow and M. W. Perrin submitted a proposal to research chemical reactions at high pressures of between one thousand and twenty thousand atmospheres. The proposal was approved by the Board of ICI Alkali Division in 1932. An outcome of this research work was “a waxy solid found in the reaction tube,” reported in March of 1933. This led to the commercial development of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and Dr. Swallow is credited as the first to recognize the true significance of this discovery. The development of the polymer was recognized and patented in the United Kingdom in 1936. Pilot-scale production of LDPE began in 1938, with commercial production commencing in 1939.
Dr. Swallow quickly established an international reputation as a creative polymer scientist, and his interests in plastics received additional stimulus through his wife Irene, a member of the DuPont family. This family link and his reputation in the world of science allowed Dr. Swallow to learn details of the work of Carrothers, which led to the discovery of nylon and a fascination with the field of elastomers and synthetic rubbers.
Dr. Swallow was named Research Director of ICI Plastics Group in 1942 and later ICI Plastics Division in 1945. During the war, in addition to polyethylene, the main emphasis of ICI plastics research was the development and manufacture of its acrylic sheet and molding material, thermosetting resins and molding powders, and polyvinyl chloride products along with nylon monofilaments. He is credited with building a first-class research and development facility for ICI Plastics. Under his leadership, many new materials were developed, and new applications were realized for existing products.
Dr. Swallow was named Chairman of ICI Plastics Division in 1951, a position he held until his retirement in 1963. His awards include the prestigious Swinburne Award in recognition of his contributions to the worlds of science and commerce in 1962.
Areas of Expertise:
Plastic materials