Giulio
Natta
discovered
polypropylene
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Giulio
Natta was born in February 1903 in Imperia, near
Genoa, Italy, and died in Bergamo in May 1979.
Together with Karl Ziegler
of Germany he was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Chemistry in 1963 for the development of Ziegler-Natta
catalysts. His work led to the introduction of
polypropylene resins through the polymerisation
of propylene to produce stereoregular polymers (isotactic).
Natta had an illustrious career after obtaining a
doctorate in chemical engineering at Milan
Polytechnic in 1924. Chairs in chemistry were
held at Pavia, Rome and Turin universities, after
which he returned to Milan Polytechnic in 1938.
In his role as Director of Industrial Chemistry
he developed new uses for the commercial
synthesis of methanol, formaldehyde, succinic
acid and butyraldehyde. His intensive interest in
and studies of polymers in conjunction with the
Italian firm Montecatini led in 1953 to his use
of Ziegler catalysts for the polymerisation of
propylene.
He also developed catalyst systems for producing
syndiotactic polypropylene.
The contribution of Natta to the development of
high polymers of profound use in the manufacture
of films, fibres, synthetic rubber, etc., has
provided a major building block towards our
current domestic and commercial society.
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