Robert MacFarlan Cole III
Encyclopedia
Robert MacFarlan Cole was an American chemical engineer
, inventor, and author
. He helped develop many chemicals, including freon and its use as a refrigerant
and an aerosol
repellent
, a substance to counteract poisonous gas in World War I, synthetic rubber and pyrethrin
insecticides in World War II, and ethylene oxide
as a hospital germicide.
), the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago
, where he received his doctorate in chemistry.
He married, on October 26, 1918, Wertha Pendleton
, the daughter of William Frederic Pendleton
, the founding bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem
(Swedenborgian
Faith). Their children included: William P. Cole, Dandridge M. Cole
, Aubrey Cole Odhner, and the Rev. Robert H. P. Cole.
He became the founder and first president of Hord Color Products in Sandusky, Ohio
in 1920. There he helped pioneer color processes and products. In 1928, Mr. Cole went to work for the American Dyewood Co. in Chester, Pa., where he developed recycling of the paper in telephone directories.
Cole reported to the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company that he had witnessed chlorofluorocarbon
, considered a poisonous gas, being used safely in Germany. A duPont chemist, William Warren Rhodes, and Mr. Cole worked on the development of the gas, to which duPont
gave the trade name Freon. "I was there when the first seven cc's of Freon came out of the distilling apparatus in Sandusky, Ohio" He told a Pennsylvania newspaper.
During World War II, Mr. Cole was a member of the War Chemical Board and pioneered the artificial synthesis of pyrethrin
, used as an insecticide by the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific. He died on January 18, 1986.
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
, inventor, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He helped develop many chemicals, including freon and its use as a refrigerant
Refrigerant
A refrigerant is a substance used in a heat cycle usually including, for enhanced efficiency, a reversible phase change from a liquid to a gas. Traditionally, fluorocarbons, especially chlorofluorocarbons, were used as refrigerants, but they are being phased out because of their ozone depletion...
and an aerosol
Aerosol
Technically, an aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. Examples are clouds, and air pollution such as smog and smoke. In general conversation, aerosol usually refers to an aerosol spray can or the output of such a can...
repellent
Repellent
Repellent can refer to:* Insect repellent* Animal repellent...
, a substance to counteract poisonous gas in World War I, synthetic rubber and pyrethrin
Pyrethrin
The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrins are neurotoxins that attack the nervous systems of all insects. When present in amounts not fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent effect. Pyrethrins are gradually...
insecticides in World War II, and ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide, also called oxirane, is the organic compound with the formula . It is a cyclic ether. This means that it is composed of two alkyl groups attached to an oxygen atom in a cyclic shape . This colorless flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor is the simplest epoxide, a three-membered...
as a hospital germicide.
Biography
His education included studies at the Armour Institute (now part of Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
), the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where he received his doctorate in chemistry.
He married, on October 26, 1918, Wertha Pendleton
Wertha Pendleton Cole
Wertha Pendleton Cole was an American educational administrator and astronomer.-Biography:She was born on January 18, 1891 to William Frederic Pendleton. He was the founder of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University in 1914...
, the daughter of William Frederic Pendleton
William Frederic Pendleton
William Frederic Pendleton was the first Executive Bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, in Bryn Athyn, PA.-Biography:...
, the founding bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem
General Church of the New Jerusalem
The General Church of the New Jerusalem is an international church based in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, and based on the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg...
(Swedenborgian
Swedenborgian
A Swedenborgian is the doctrines, beliefs, and practices of the Church of the New Jerusalem, and is an adjective describing a person or an organization that understands the Bible through the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg....
Faith). Their children included: William P. Cole, Dandridge M. Cole
Dandridge M. Cole
Dandridge MacFarlan Cole was an American aerospace engineer, futurist, lecturer, and author.-Parents and education:Cole was born February 19, 1921 in Sandusky, Ohio to Robert MacFarlan Cole III and Wertha Pendleton Cole, the daughter of bishop William Frederic Pendleton.He attended the Academy of...
, Aubrey Cole Odhner, and the Rev. Robert H. P. Cole.
He became the founder and first president of Hord Color Products in Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
in 1920. There he helped pioneer color processes and products. In 1928, Mr. Cole went to work for the American Dyewood Co. in Chester, Pa., where he developed recycling of the paper in telephone directories.
Cole reported to the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company that he had witnessed chlorofluorocarbon
Chlorofluorocarbon
A chlorofluorocarbon is an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane and ethane. A common subclass are the hydrochlorofluorocarbons , which contain hydrogen, as well. They are also commonly known by the DuPont trade name Freon...
, considered a poisonous gas, being used safely in Germany. A duPont chemist, William Warren Rhodes, and Mr. Cole worked on the development of the gas, to which duPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
gave the trade name Freon. "I was there when the first seven cc's of Freon came out of the distilling apparatus in Sandusky, Ohio" He told a Pennsylvania newspaper.
During World War II, Mr. Cole was a member of the War Chemical Board and pioneered the artificial synthesis of pyrethrin
Pyrethrin
The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrins are neurotoxins that attack the nervous systems of all insects. When present in amounts not fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent effect. Pyrethrins are gradually...
, used as an insecticide by the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific. He died on January 18, 1986.