A Fine Finish for Fine Guitars Page 14

M A G A Z I N E

DuPont

“Navy Corpsman Thomas Smith survived an Iraqi ambush on the outskirts of

Baghdad this month,” the April 16, 2003, USA Today reports, “after a bullet

ricocheted off his vest containing bullet-resistant [DuPontTM] Kevlar®, leaving a

large hole.

“In a daylong firefight last year against the Taliban in a snow-covered

Afghan valley,” the article continues, “Army soldier Jason Ashline

was struck by two bullets from an AK-47 assault rifle. The slugs lodged

harmlessly in his flak jacket.

“‘The bullets knocked me over and took

the wind out of me, but I didn’t feel any

pain,’ said the 21-year-old Ashline from

the Army’s 10th Mountain Division in Fort

Drum, New York.

“Both soldiers owe their lives to a

retired 79-year-old woman in Delaware.

The Kevlar® inside their vests was invented by former DuPont chemist

Stephanie Kwolek.”

According to the article, helmets made with Kevlar® and vests lined with

the DuPont material and ceramic plates were standard equipment for most

of the 125,000 American and British ground troops in the Iraq war and for

the journalists embedded with them. “Military experts say dozens, maybe

hundreds of soldiers owe their lives or their escape from injury” to Kevlar ®,

the article notes. It quotes David Nelson, deputy product manager of

clothing and equipment for the Army, who calls the DuPont material “one of

the most significant pieces of military equipment ever invented.”

The article adds: “The material is used in more than 200 products,

including bullet-resistant vests and helmets that have saved the

lives of 2,749 police officers.”

“Helping Freedom Ring,” page 23, has more on DuPont contributions to the military.

11 SHELTER FROM THE STORM

The DuPontTM StormRoomTM with Kevlar® helps shield people from deadly wind-borne debris thatthreatens them during tornadoes

14 SOUNDING GOOD, LOOKING GOOD

Finished with base colors and clear coatsfrom DuPont Performance Coatings,electric guitars from PRS Guitars havewon musical and artistic praise

18 ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

By producing high-quality carpet andother interior components made withDuPontTM Keldax® resins, Magee RieterAutomotive earned its 11th straight GMSupplier of the Year Award

20 GETTING TURNED ON TO SCIENCE

DuPont encourages science literacyby supporting reform efforts andprograms that nurture student interestin science

23 HELPING FREEDOM RING

Advanced materials such as DuPontTM

Kevlar® and DuPontTM Nomex®

brand fibers are boosting combateffectiveness and safety

26 PEARLS FOR THE ROAD

Offered on top-of-the-line Volvo S80vehicles, White Pearl paint technologyfrom DuPont Herberts adds luster to thecompany’s reputation for safety

28 NEWS IN BRIEF

EDITORCharlene McGradyCONTRIBUTORSCharlie Areson, Amy Barnett,Tom Barry, Gordon Beck, Michele Darnell, Adrienne Lallo, Pat McNichol, Bob YearickPRINT PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTIONMeghan AckersonKim ClarkJeanne DysonJeanne WarringtonDESIGNAdler Design Group

© 2003 E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Delaware. All rightsreserved. The DuPont Oval logo, DuPont™,The miracles of science® and all DuPontproducts denoted with ™ or ® are trademarksor registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont deNemours and Company or its affiliates.

This magazine or parts thereof may not bereproduced in any form without permissionfrom the editor.

Printed in the U.S.A.

Printed on Recycled Paper

A b o u t t h e C o v e r

To keep looking as good as they

sound, electric guitars need a

finish that can stand up to sweaty

hands and forearms, banging belt

buckles and the indignity of being

shoved into and dragged out of

zippered cases. That’s why PRS

Guitars relies on tough and

beautiful base coat colors and clear

coats from DuPont Performance

Coatings. To learn why this was a

sound decision, turn to “Sounding

Good, Looking Good” on page 14.

2 CATERING TO A VISUAL

SOCIETY

DuPont Displays physicist IanParker works on Organic Light-Emitting Diode technology thatwill enhance visual communi-cation in ways large and small

4 AMAZING APPLE AESTHETIC

Laminated safety glass madewith DuPontTM SentryGlas® Plusbrings pizzazz to AppleComputer’s first New York Cityretail store, which features aneight-foot-wide glass staircase

8 THE SCIENCE OF SLICK

Squeaky hinges, frozen boltsand rusty tools are no match forDuPontTM Performance Lubricantsmade with DuPontTM Teflon® andKrytox® fluoropolymers

M A G A Z I N E VOL. 97, NO. 3

26

20

8

2

Think back to your earliest years and the first story-book you learned by heart. It’s likely that the book’sillustrations are etched more deeply into memory thanany single line of prose.

As technology has evolved, this human propensityto respond to visual information has been celebratedand exploited, from frescos on chapel walls to bill-boards in Times Square. Because we “get” what wesee, we have envisioned holographs, virtual reality andhigh-definition TV. What next? Maybe carpet-sized rollsof pliable high-resolution display material that can behung floor to ceiling, wrapped around a building or cutinto small shapes and sewn inside a jacket.

Polymers will ensure that our visually intensive cul-ture gets the vivid pictures it craves.

DuPont scientists in California are using polymer sci-ence to produce OLED (organic light-emitting diode)displays that are light, thin, high contrast and energyefficient. This year, a DuPont joint venture will offer itsfirst polymer-based displays – monochromatic onesused in automotive indicator displays, handheld elec-tronics devices, global positioning systems and othermobile devices – that will deliver new levels of bright-ness and clarity under a wide variety of lighting condi-tions and viewing angles.

These first glass-based OLED displays from DuPontand its partners will roll off the world’s most advanced,fully automatic polymer-based OLED mass productionline, located in Hsinchu, Taiwan, later this year.

Replacing LCDs

Polymer-based displays are developing rapidly, withconstant improvements in color, size and image quality.In fact, OLED displays are expected to replace theubiquitous liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) in many appli-cations because of their superior image quality, accord-ing to DuPont Displays Materials Group Manager IanParker. The OLED market could reach $2.3 billion by2008, says iSuppli/Stanford Resources, a firm that tracksthe industry. Once OLEDs are adapted to larger screensand curved applications, making inroads in the $30 bil-lion flat-panel display market and applications to beimagined, the potential grows geometrically.

First-generation light-emitting diodes (LEDs) basedon traditional semiconductor materials have beenaround for several decades in single-color applicationssuch as indicator lights and digital clocks. They work bypassing a low-voltage current between two electrodesthat straddle a layer of luminescent inorganic semicon-ductor such as gallium arsenide. The current travelsthrough the semiconductor layer and generates light.

Early displays were created by physically arrangingred, orange or green LEDs into rectangular arrays and

CATERING TO A VISUAL SOCIETYOrganic Light-Emitting Diode technology

from DuPont Displays will enhance visual

communication in ways large and small

DuPont physicist

Ian Parker holds four

polymer-based

light-emitting diodes,

each emitting a

different color.

3

operating them in specific patterns for such things assimple text messages in retail signage. A smaller ver-sion of this simple technology used to be found insome cell phones.

Though limited in functionality, LEDs inspired excite-ment because they didn’t require backlighting, as otherflat-panel technologies do. However, they had seriousdrawbacks. The individual pixels of these displays werelarge and had to be assembled one-by-one into an array,making it impossible to create high-resolution images.

By replacing the inorganic semiconductor with anorganic semiconducting polymer – hence the “O” –DuPont and its partners have created a cost-effectiveway to produce brighter and more versatile diodes.New processing techniques allow the scientists to createtens of thousands of pixels at once, greatly improvingon the earlier technology’s image resolution problem.They apply one or more special polymers in precisepatterns a mere tenth of a micron thick to the substrateof choice to produce lightweight, thin glass displays.The resulting images offer high contrast, easy viewingfrom all angles and enough resolution to display allforms of information, including video and Web pages.

Another advantage over LCDs: because only the partof the display that is illuminated consumes power,OLEDs make more efficient use of batteries.

While the first DuPont polymer OLED displays willemploy just one color, the next generation of displayswill offer a full-color solution by using advanced poly-mers and DuPont ink-jet technology. By printing threedifferent colored areas of polymers – red, green andblue – extremely close to each other and adding moresophisticated circuitry, the displays will “mix” the col-ored pixels in various combinations to generate all col-ors, in much the same way that a standard TV operates.

His team is grooming the polymers that make allthis possible.

“Not all light-emitting polymers are created equal,”says Parker, a physicist. “The blues are particularlynotorious for degrading.”

Parker’s team of chemists and physicists is workingto understand the physical and chemical influences onthe longevity of the light-emitting polymers.

“The best polymer materials hold up for a few thou-sand hours before degrading,” he says. “Our goal is tohave lifetimes exceeding 10,000 hours for all of the col-ors. Progress is good and we expect to achieve this inthe near future.”

The physicists and chemists are also strategizingabout the next generation of this technology, collabo-rating with production engineers on the process fordepositing the polymers on a flexible plastic substrateinstead of glass. Plastic could be used to make displays

even thinner while making roll-to-roll mass production– think newspaper printing press – feasible. Plastic cantake a beating, translating into fewer equipment returnsdue to cracked displays, increased customer satisfactionand lower costs. Plastic also expands the range of out-door applications. The option to curve, angle and cutplastic will make the possibilities for new displayshapes and applications limitless.

Lighting the Imagination

The roll-to-roll concept, which lights the imagination,will probably take five to 10 years of developmentwork to become a reality. “A large number of technicalchallenges still need to be resolved,” says Parker. “Roll-to-roll technology is not currently a high-precision tech-nology. Equipment capable of handling the necessaryprecision will need to be developed.”

Success in light-emitting organics is giving DuPontscientists the necessary confidence to pursue otherpolymer-based technologies.

“Creating electronic devices based upon organicmaterials, including polymers, is one of the most excit-ing fields to get into today,” says Parker. “The ideasspan from light-emitting polymers to polymer transis-tors, high-performance polymer solar cells and evenpolymer lasers. Polymer transistors are already beingmade and incorporated into useful circuits that can beprinted using equipment similar to a desktop printer,enabling simple fabrication for certain applications.Polymer solar cells offer excellent performance and caneasily be fabricated into large areas at a fraction of thecost of silicon-based solar cells. However, as with thelight-emitting polymers, there is still a lot of science tobe done in order to understand how to make thesefuture devices robust and long-lived.”

In the meantime, DuPont Displays is using polymerscience to serve up a feast for the eyes of humankind,serving a basic need to represent our world visuallyand to communicate a little better.

To learn more about DuPont Displays, visitwww.dupont.com/displays/. ■

Polymer-based

displays will dramati-

cally improve visuals

on hand-held devices

such as portable

DVD players.

4

5

When Steve Jobs set out to commemorate a genera-tion of Apple Computer products, the celebrated“iCEO” purchased a neoclassical building in the Soho(“South of Houston” Street) section of New York Cityto convert into Apple’s first retail store in a major urbanarea. He also assembled a design team from theworld’s premier architectural, engineering and laminat-ing talent. Then, he challenged his blue-ribbon group topush the boundaries of their professions into a state-of-the-art monument to the ingenuity of the products thatmade his fortune.

Mission Accomplished

Moments after the store’s July 2002 Grand Openingcelebration began, a collective gasp of stunned visitorsfilled the ground floor. Before them, a 15-foot glassstaircase shimmered in a translucent invitation to anupper-level glass landing and glass bridge. Tentatively,the first shoppers stepped upward on two-inch-thickglass treads spanning nearly eight feet without edgesupport. Their confidence mounting that this crystalcynosure would withstand their weight, they enteredthe second floor, where elegant maple displays ofApple products drew their eyes.

The design team, no doubt, had turned in a spectacu-lar performance. So spectacular, in fact, that Jobs deter-mined to replicate the new “Apple aesthetic” in eachstore throughout the urban retail empire he was planning

for Chicago, Los Angeles and other U.S. locales. DuPontTM SentryGlas® Plus ionoplast interlayer plays

a silent but significant supporting role in Apple’s archi-tectural triumph. The product imparts great strength tothe laminated safety glass used to make the crystalstairway and bridge.

Uncommon Strength

Early in the design planning stages, lead architectPeter Bohlin of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson of Berkeley,California, described the project’s aesthetic. “It shouldbe somewhat ethereal ... rather delicate and ... notoverpower the products.” The effect may be etherealand delicate, but SentryGlas® Plus is anything but.

The latest in a long line of laminated safety glassproducts from DuPont, SentryGlas® Plus is an ultra-thin(less than six hundredths of an inch) interlayer of coatedfilm. To create the safety glass application, designerschose Depp Glass, Inc., a Long Island, New York, lami-nator renowned for its work in highly engineered anddecorated glass projects. Depp craftspeople annealedthe SentryGlas® Plus interlayer between two outer lay-ers of glass, producing a “sandwich” construction ofextraordinary strength.

In preliminary testimony to its strength and rigidity,SentryGlas® Plus endured a punishing series of loadbearing tests conducted in Gerthofen, Germany.Results persuaded even the wariest engineers that it

ABOVE: Apple products aredisplayed in the company’s firstretail store in New York City.

BELOW: The store is housed in ahistoric “flat iron” building, whichonce housed a Post Office.

DELIVERING BEAUTY WITHOUT SACRIFICING SAFETY, LAM

INATED SAFETY GLASS MADE WITH DUPONTTM SENTRY GLAS® PLUS BRINGS PIZZAZZ TO APPLE COMPUTER'S NEW YORK RETAIL STORE

PHOTOGRAPHS © PETER AARON/ESTO ARCHITECTS: BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON

6

could bear walking, running and even stomping bythousands of human pounds. Tim Macfarlane of NewYork City, the project’s chief engineer, acknowledges,“Until the introduction of SentryGlas® Plus, I had notseen a laminated glass solution with enough residualstrength to support a person on a walking surface.”

SentryGlas® Plus emerged in response to SouthFlorida’s stringent building codes enacted in 1992 afterHurricane Andrew wreaked region-wide havoc there.The product is five times stronger and 100 times morerigid than earlier-generation laminated safety glass prod-ucts. The safety glass often used in automobile wind-shields, PVB also appears in the Apple store’s70-foot-long skylight.

Awed by the glass balustrade and its suspended-in-air illusion, many shoppers wonder, “How is itanchored?” Credit for this feat belongs to DuPontTM

Secure TechnologyTM, which stimulates excellentbonding of the interlayer to a range of materialsbesides glass, including metal. According to chiefengineer Macfarlane, the combination of SentryGlas®

Plus and Secure TechnologyTM enables engineers toinsert tiny titanium inserts that secure the staircaseto vertical laminated sidewalls on each side. “This isthe world’s first successful large-scale design of glasslaminated to metal,” he says, adding that the mal-leability and strength of SentryGlas® Plus delivers anarchitectural freedom that opens doors to myriad

new applications of the product.In the harsh reality of a post-September 11 world,

SentryGlas® Plus helps fill government demands fornew technologies to prevent or minimize human suffer-ing. Products made with SentryGlas® Plus won’t squallwhen hit. Instead, the interlayer holds the brokenpieces intact.

By meeting rigorous new U.S. standards for glassintegrity and protection in disasters, SentryGlas® Plusdrew the attention of the U.S. State Department. Todaythe safety glass fortifies window systems in every U.S.embassy worldwide.

Car Side Windows, Too

Recently, SentryGlas® Plus entered the automotivemarket, too. In side windows of the new BMW 7Series cars, it brings improved intrusion resistance in athinner, lighter solution than conventional polycarbon-ate. An ideal protection against forced entry into build-ings, SentryGlas® Plus is also capturing imaginations inthe home security and prison industries.

Macfarlane predicts SentryGlas® Plus will find appli-cations in home and commercial floor surfaces and isdestined to “become the reinforced glass material ofthe 21st century.”

For information on DuPontTM SentryGlas® Plus, visitw w w. d u p o n t . c o m / s a f e t y g l a s s / p r o d u c t s /sentryplus/index.html. ■

ABOVE: Each translucent stair treadspans nearly eight feet withoutapparent edge support, thanks toDuPont™ Secure Technology™.

RIGHT: Laminated safety glass madewith DuPont™ SentryGlas® Plusinterlayer forms the store’scenterpiece glass staircase andsecond-floor glass bridge.

BELOW: DuPont™ Butacite® PVBinterlayer is used in the laminatedsafety glass of the Apple store’s70-foot-long skylight.

SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO LAYERS OF GLASS, SENTRYGLAS® PLUS DELIVERS EXTRAORDINARY STRENGTH

7

The next time you need to silence a squeaky doorhinge, free a frozen bolt, protect tools from rust andcorrosion, lubricate a treadmill or car door, hood ortrunk latch, reach for a DuPont-branded lubricant.

DuPontTM Performance Lubricants offer long-lastinglubrication, rust and corrosion protection, water proof-ing or material preservation on metal, rubber, plastic,vinyl, leather or wood. Formulated with DuPontTM

Teflon® or Krytox® fluoropolymers, they outperformother consumer lubricants currently on the market.

How good are they? Just ask the folks at HendrickMotorsports, in Charlotte, North Carolina, owner andbuilder of the NASCAR® #24 and #48 cars driven byJeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, respectively.

Hendrick mechanics use DuPontTM Krytox® per-formance lubricant to prevent the rubber/siliconeboot on spark plug wires from adhering to the plugs’ceramic insulators as a result of the intense heat gen-erated under the hood. “When a mechanic tried toremove the wire, the wiring assembly pulled apart,”recalls Eddie Dickerson, director of chassis engineer-ing at Hendrick. “Then we discovered that by apply-ing a small dab of Krytox® inside the boot, weeliminated the problem because Krytox® easilystands up to the heat. Now Krytox® is used by Gen-eral Motors to solve this same problem.”

The new DuPont-branded lubricants give con-sumers access to the problem-solving science Hen-drick and GM use to meet the lubrication demands ofprofessional racing and street driving.

Exclusive Licensing Agreement

In the first-ever licensing of the DuPont name toanother company, Finish Line Technologies, Inc. ofBay Shore, New York, was granted exclusive rights tomanufacture and market the new lubricants andrelated products. A long-time DuPont customer and arespected formulator and distributor of specialty con-sumer lubricants, Finish Line markets products under

8

THESCIENCE

OFSLICK

Squeaky hinges, frozen bolts and rusty tools are no match for DuPontTM Performance Lubricants with DuPontTM Teflon®

9

Available in both an 8-ounce aerosol can (above) and 4-ounce

squeeze bottle (below) DuPontTM Performance Lubricants debuted in

Lowe’s® Home Improvement Warehouse stores in late June.

the Finish LineTM, White Lightning® and Zardoz® brandnames. The aerosol division of Green Tree ChemicalTechnologies, Inc., of Seaford, Delaware, packagesthe new lubricants.

They debuted in Lowe’s® Home Improvement Ware-house stores in late June, and later will be available atother major U.S. and Canadian retailers, includingAce®, TruServTM and Do it Best® hardware stores.They’re also being marketed by a number of distribu-tors that supply grocery and convenience stores, truckstops and smaller hardware and automotive chains.

Excellent Track Record

“Finish Line Technologies has always been a valuedcustomer with an excellent reputation and trackrecord in the consumer lubricants marketplace,” saysBruce Ulissi, DuPont market development manager forperformance lubricants. “They share the DuPont com-mitment to technology and quality, and we’ve workedwell together in the past. So it was natural that wewould look to them for this unique and importantlicensing arrangement.”

Adds Finish Line president and CEO Hank Krause:“The coupling of our existing technology and experi-ence with DuPontTM Teflon® and Krytox® fluoropoly-mers enabled us to develop consumer lubricants thatmet our performance expectations and a market need.Our partnership with DuPont also opened up impor-tant new sales and distribution opportunities that oth-erwise would have been difficult for us to penetrate.”

The distribution opportunities include those pre-sented by Lowe’s, headquartered in Wilkesboro,North Carolina.

“Lowe’s actually contacted us expressing interestin having a high-performance lubricant in their storesfor the 2003 season,” notes Larry Deas, DuPont corpo-rate account manager for Lowe’s. “The timing couldn’thave been more perfect. Licensing negotiations withFinish Line were well underway, and Lowe’s involve-

and Krytox® fluoropolymers

10

DuPontTM PerformanceLubricants give consumersaccess to the problem-solving science thatHendrick Motorsportsand General Motors useto meet the lubricationdemands of NASCAR®

and street driving.

ment in a national product roll-out would ensurereaching the broadest range of quality conscious con-sumers possible.

“Lowe’s was already having excellent successwith DuPontTM Weed Control Fabric and also hadexperience with the DuPontTM Corian®, Stainmaster®

and Tyvek® brands,” Deas continues. “So they werevery receptive to adding additional DuPont-brandedproducts in their stores.”

Lowe’s has high hopes for the new lubricants, saysDaniel Lyalls. “With DuPont being one of the worldleaders in innovating new and better products, theapplication of their already successful fluoropolymertechnology to general-use lubricants provides impor-tant benefits for do-it-yourselfers as well as profes-sional mechanics and tradespeople. And it will have amajor impact in the marketplace,” he predicts.

“For Lowe’s, these new products build on analready successful relationship with DuPont,” Lyallscontinues. “And they provide another opportunity toincrease customer confidence and loyalty by offeringnew and technologically superior products that fit ouroverall strategy to become the ‘House of Brands.’”

While the lubricants initially cost from 20 percentto 50 percent more than low-end competitive prod-ucts, they work better, cleaner and longer, reducingactual in-use costs. For more information, visit www.PerformanceLubricant.DuPont.com. ■

DuPont T M Performance Lubricants

Three products are involved in the initialintroduction of these CFC-free lubricants;a cleaner/degreaser, anti-seizecompound and other products areplanned for the near future.

• DuPontTM Performance Multi-UseLubricant is a water-repelling lubricantcontaining Teflon® fluoropolymer, organicmolybdenum and a polymerized wax. Itgoes on wet to deeply penetrate andloosen frozen or rusted parts and thendries to a patented, self-cleaning film thatactually sheds dirt and grime, so partsstay clean and abrasive wear iseliminated. It is ideal for applicationsinvolving metal and other moving parts

and is available in a 4-ounce squeezebottle and 8-ounce aerosol can.

• DuPontTM Performance Silicone Lubricantis a pure, industrial-grade siliconelubricant and the only one on the marketformulated with Krytox® PTFEfluoropolymer. Krytox® provides superior“slip” characteristics to metal – wheretraditional silicone sprays don’t do well –and nonmetal surfaces. Its clear, non-staining, non-corrosive film lubricates andhelps prevent rust and corrosion and isideal for waterproofing, protecting andpreserving rubber, plastic, vinyl, leatherand other materials that might bedamaged by conventional, petroleum-

based lubricants. It comes in a 10-ounceaerosol can.

• DuPontTM Performance White LithiumGrease plus Teflon® is a heavy-duty, long-lasting grease that outperformstraditional lithium and other spraygreases. Fortified with DuPontTM Teflon®

fluoropolymer for maximum waterrepellency and lubrication, it preventsrusting and chemical corrosion and won’trun, melt, wash off, freeze or break downat high speeds, extreme heat or heavy loads. Suitable for high-speedbearings and other demandingapplications, it is available in a 10-ounceaerosol can.

11

Delving into tornado lore turns up a startling array of

apparently fanciful but nonetheless true stories. For

instance, the world’s most violent weather phenome-

non once inserted an unbroken vinyl record into a

tree’s heartwood. It gently whirled a sleeping baby 50

feet into the air and 328 feet away without awakening

the tot. It furiously ripped away a supermarket wall

without disturbing meticulously arranged shelved

goods. It sucked fish from a lake and disgorged them,

still flopping, miles away from the storm out of a daz-

zling blue sky.

Tragically, a tornado’s unusual ferocity can and

does kill. An average of 42 deaths results from the

roughly 1,000 tornadoes that touch down annually in

the United States. Strong tornadoes also wreak

extensive property damage, reducing large homes to

kindling in seconds, tossing vehicles like toy cars and

racking up expenses in the millions. These frightening

SHELTERFROM THE

STORMTHE DUPONT TM STORMROOM TM WITH KEVLAR

HELPS SHIELD PEOPLE FROM DEADLY

WIND-BORNE DEBRIS THAT THREATENS THEM

DURING THE WORLD’S STRONGEST STORMS

®

12

funnels can travel from a few hundred feet to morethan 100 miles, spreading destruction in swaths from150 feet to more than a mile wide. Escapingunscathed may be a matter of just a few lucky yards– one house may be savagely demolished while theproperty next door is unruffled.

Though they occur throughout the world,twisters bare their most devastating faces in theUnited States, particularly in a section through thecountry’s middle dubbed “Tornado Alley.” Scien-tists rate these intense storms by the Fujita scale,with the F1 designation denoting a light to moder-ate event and F5 marking one with supremely vio-lent winds approaching 300 miles per hour. Mostmortality is linked to those rare storms topping theFujita chart, which represent only two percent oftornadoes. Surprisingly, 69 percent of tornadoesvisit as mild, windy cyclones that cause little or nohuman injury or property damage.

Whatever their size and fury, all tornadoes arerotating columns of air that form inside powerfulthunderstorms and reach the ground. Created nearthe intersection of warm, moist air and cold, dry air,they draw awesome force from heat stored insidethe warm air mass. The characteristic rotation occurswhen the warm air, aided by energy released as its

moisture condenses, punches through the cold airabove it and twists upward. Thunderstorm windsthen rapidly increase the spiral’s velocity. When thetransparent funnel reaches the ground, it instantlyturns dark from dust and debris.

Difficult to Predict

Despite concerted efforts at prediction, tornadoformation remains extremely capricious and thefunnels often materialize with little or no warning.Major storms that should spawn them frequently donot, while minor weather that shouldn’t be aconcern, does. Consequently, protecting people andproperty depends on preparation.

Experts recommend listening to weather reportsin the late afternoon in tornado-prone areas, whenthunderstorms – and perhaps tornadoes – tend toform. Should a warning occur, prudent people getas far down as possible – into a ditch, a basementor an interior room. Once there, they shelter theirheads and necks with their arms, as most tornadofatalities are due to flying debris such as two-by-four building lumber.

To enhance safety, experts also debunk mythsabout surviving tornadoes. Attempting to outrun atornado in one’s car, they say, is foolish, as is hiding

Tornado-force winds,

which have been

known to insert vinyl

records and forks

(above) into trees,

cause destruction

(far right) and an

average of 42 deaths

each year in the

United States.

under highway overpasses. Further, there is no needto open windows to equalize pressure; most homeshave enough gaps already to equalize storm pres-sure in about three seconds. Spend time instead,they urge, finding a safer location.

Experts may soon recommend the DuPont TM

StormRoomTM with Kevlar® as that sanctuary. Avail-able in several rectangular configurations, the StormRoomTM derives its incredible strength from sheath-ing containing DuPontTM Kevlar® brand fiber, which is fivetimes stronger than steel on an equal weight basis.

“The StormRoomTM uses the same molecular sci-ence and high-performance material found in thebullet-resistant vests that help protect military per-sonnel and police around the world,” says JeffHanks, DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems technologymanager, adding that the high-tech shelter has multi-ple patents pending.

For the StormRoomTM, the sheathing containingKevlar® is built into reinforced wall panels that slideinto a sturdy frame. The enclosure is secured with aSimpson Strong-Tie® epoxy anchoring system to 4-inch-thick concrete slabs, making it ideal for newconstruction homes. Homeowners enter the roomthrough a steel access door that meets nationalrequirements for tornado shelter doors.

The ventilated enclosure can be fitted withplumbing and electrical connections and finishedinside and out with wallboard and paint to matchsurrounding decor. Homeowners may furnish theshelter for a secondary use such as a powder room,closet or wine cellar. Whatever its final appearance,the shelter acts as a safety net in life-threateningweather by deflecting wind-borne debris.

“High winds or tornado emergencies oftenstrike suddenly, making it unrealistic to drive orrun to a remote shelter – even one in the backyard,” explains Laura Dwyer, DuPont Advanced

Fiber Systems market development leader for theconstruction industry. “The in-home StormRoomTM

is accessible in seconds. Further, cer tif iedbuilders erect it in about four hours – much fasterthan the lengthy installation process for heaviersteel and concrete shelters.”

She adds that the product will be available forinstallation by certified building professionals in thetornado-prone Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, andOklahoma City, Oklahoma, markets this year.

Complies with FEMA Criteria

The StormRoomTM with Kevlar® complies with theNational Performance Criteria for Tornado Sheltersestablished by the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency (FEMA) in conjunction with national expertsfrom the Texas Tech University (TTU) School of WindEngineering. “In tests conducted by TTU, the engi-neered panels with Kevlar® deflected a 12-foot, 15-pound two-by-four piece of wood shot from a can-non at 100 miles per hour,” comments Hanks. “Thisis the speed at which a 250-mile-per-hour windwould propel the timber.”

The panels have been structurally tested in twoand a half times the wind load expected during a tornado.

According to nationally known severe weatherexpert Warren Faidley, preparation and protectionsuch as offered by the DuPontTM StormRoomTM withKevlar® are simply the best tornado survival strategy.Most modern homes in tornado-prone areas, hesays, are not equipped to withstand a strong tor-nado. “Yet in almost every survival story,” the 15-yearveteran storm chaser concludes, “the family had aplan and some type of shelter to protect themselvesfrom violent winds and debris.”

For more facts on the StormRoomTM, call 1-800-448-9835 or visit www.stormrooms.dupont.com. ■

Made with a multi-layer

construction (above) that

contains sheathing of

DuPontTM Kevlar® brand

fiber, the DuPontTM

StormRoomTM with Kevlar®

offers a safety net in

life-threatening

weather by deflecting

wind-borne debris.

13

14

Sounding Good,Looking With their “dipped in glass” finish, courtesy of base colors and

clear coats from DuPont Performance Coatings, PRS Guitars are both

works of art and musical instruments

Good

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“Sounds good.”

“Plays well.”

“Feels good in your hand.”

Those are the words of electric guitar manufac-turer Paul Reed Smith, but he’s not talking about the

instruments his company builds. He’s describ-ing the DuPontTM ChromaPremier® Basecoatcolors and ChromaClear® G2-4500STM usedon them.

DuPont has been making automotive refin-ish products since 1924. In the 79 yearssince then, rarely – okay, probably never –have those products been praised in quitethose words. And it’s high praise indeed,because Smith is a demanding perfectionist.

The founder, managing general partnerand creative force behind PRS Guitars ofStevensville, Maryland, Smith has beencalled “the American Stradivari of the elec-tric guitar,” and a “deeply insightful crafts-

man who (has) absorbed to his very marrow theessence of the modern electric guitar.”

Smith began playing the guitar in eighth grade andsoon became immersed in music, playing in localbands. By the time he was 17, he was sitting in withbands in Washington, DC clubs. In 1975, he built hisfirst instrument for extra credits from his collegemusic professor. That experience persuaded him tomake guitar building his life’s work.

Not surprisingly, he struggled at first, producingone guitar a month at best, but he learned importantlessons with every instrument.

“Once a guitar was finished,” recalls Smith, “I’dplay it at a gig, field testing it in the purest sense.Every design change taught me something newabout building guitars.”

By 1985, with the support of his wife, a NewYork City attorney, investors and some skilledassistants, he secured enough funding toopen a professional manufacturing facility.Today, PRS Guitars employs 185 people, themajority of whom are musicians. The com-

Paul Reed Smith (top), the founderand creative force behind PRS Guitars,has been called “the AmericanStradivari of the electric guitar.” His guitars are painted with DuPontTM

ChromaPremier® Basecoat colors and DuPontTM ChromaClear® Clear.

in 1996 signaled a major change in the company’soperations. For one thing, Smith, who knows fretfiles and dovetail saws as well as anyone in hisshop, stopped personally building guitars. And forthe first time, many steps were computerized in theproduction facility.

One of the most critical areas is finishing, wherethe famous PRS “dipped in glass” lookis imparted. The new factory isequipped with one of the most sophis-ticated spray rooms in the country,with temperature and relative humid-ity maintained at 72°F and 50 per-cent, respectively.

Despite these ideal conditions,Smith and his management teamdetected major problems in thefinishing area in 2000.

Painting Problems

“We had tried all kinds ofpaint over the years,” herecalls, “and we ran into everykind of trouble: adhesion, sol-vent popping, slow curetimes, build thickness, runsand buffing ability.”

They thought they had solved those issues a fewyears ago when they began using a leading automo-tive finish. Then, says Tim McClaeb, quality assur-ance manager, “We experienced problems thatmade it impossible to achieve the translucent colorswe needed. The paint company’s reps came in andtried really hard to fix it, but they just couldn’t makeit work.”

The search for a new finish soon led them toDuPontTM Performance Coatings, the world’s lead-ing supplier of automotive finishes. PRS triedChromaPremier® color coat and clear, and followedup with “extensive testing,” according to McClaeb.

“We surveyed the crew, especially the

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pany is now the third largest U.S.electric guitar manufacturer, turningout 10,000 to 15,000 instrumentsper year. PRS products are thechoice of Carlos Santana, MarkTremonti of Creed and dozens ofother recording artists.

Wood that Resonates

Smith oversees the manu-facturing process to ensurethat his precise specifica-tions are met. Each com-ponent of a PRS guitar,whose average list priceis about $2,300, is care-fully chosen.

That selection processbegins with the wood. Brazilian or East Indian

rosewood and South American mahogany are thecore materials. “Mahogany rings like a bell,” Smithsays. “It’s strong, easy to work, easy to sand. How-ever, we still take a plane to every plank for necksbefore we buy it.”

Other favorites are maple, swamp ash andspruce, although PRS is perhaps most famous for its“curly maple” – a highly patterned wood with awhorled striped grain.

Opulent Inlays

Fingerboard inlays are made of shell, red andgreen abalone, gold, mother of pearl, coral,turquoise, and mastodon ivory. PRS inlays achievemaximum opulence in the Dragon models, five ofwhich have been created since 1992. The Dragon2000, introduced for the millennium, featured anoutrageously designed inlay that included variousabalones, pearl, shell, coral, onyx, gold and ivory.With a list price of $20,000 each, the runof 50 sold out at a single tradeshow.

PRS’s move to the Stevensville plant

PRS Guitars employs aworkforce of 185, most ofthem musicians, at itsmanufacturing facility inStevensville, Maryland.

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buffers, because we didn’t want to hinder them andhurt production. Everybody liked it a lot.”

A DuPont mixing machine was installed, and thefactory switched to ChromaPremier® Basecoat col-ors and ChromaPremier G2-4500S Clear. SaysMcClaeb, “The color and clear work very welltogether, and the system buffs well. We canmachine sand the clear and get great clarity. We hadto do a lot more sanding with the finish we had beenpreviously using.”

PRS painters spray four to six coats of ChromaClear® G2-4500STM to get the smooth feel ofvintage lacquer. The product dries faster than anyother force-dry clear in the automotive refinish indus-try, and offers superb buffability. It increases produc-tivity by maximizing throughput and minimizesenergy consumption because it requires less baketime and lower baking temperatures.

While the clear finish highlights the color and grainof PRS products, it’s also tough. “It’s a hard finish,”confirms Smith. “And that’s important. Remember,guitars take a fair amount of abuse. People aresweating on them, they’re banging against beltbuckles, and they get thrown around a little. The fin-ish has to withstand all that.”

PRS is withstanding the economic challenges ofthe current business environment. PRS sales grew50 percent in 2001, then jumped another 17 percentin last year’s slow economy, which has Smithpumped about the future.

“We’re going to be substituting some differentmetals, different woods,” he says, “and when weget the combination of all these things just right, for-get about it! It’ll be such a leap forward!”

Sounds good, doesn’t it?To learn more about PRS Guitars, visit

www.prsguitars.com. For more information about DuPont Per-

formance Coatings, check the Web site:www.performancecoatings.dupont.com,or call 1-800-GETDUPONT. ■

“Everybody liked it alot,” says PRS GuitarsQuality AssuranceManager Tim McClaebof the company’s trial of DuPontTM

ChromaPremier®.

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Few challenges are as difficult as being recognized asthe best at what you do, year after year. In sports, the

standard often is a “three-peat” – winning three consec-utive championships. Few teams can claim that distinc-tion. Fewer still can say they were champions four ormore times in a row.

The standard applies to business as well, so there wassome justifiable pride at Magee Rieter Automotive Sys-tems in April when it scored an “11-peat” by beingnamed a 2002 General Motors Supplier of the Year. Thecompany is only one of two GM suppliers among morethan 30,000 worldwide and the only one in North Amer-ica to receive this honor 11 years running.

General Motors started its global Supplier of the YearAward in 1992 to recognize companies that excel atmeeting GM’s priorities for quality, service, technologyand competitive pricing. Each year GM’s standards for

being a Supplier of the Year become more stringent andtoday the company bestows the honor on fewer than80 companies worldwide.

Based in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, with about 700employees at sites in the United States and Canada,Magee Rieter provides carpets, carpet mats and othercomponents that make up a total “interior acoustic parti-tion system” for General Motors and other global auto-mobile manufacturers. These systems, whichincorporate nylon and DuPontTM Keldax® resins, reduceheat and noise from the engine, transmission, suspen-sion system, tires and road.

Magee Rieter products also protect drivers by incorpo-rating a shock absorption system into the carpet. Thissystem helps protect drivers’ legs from compressioninjuries during an accident.

“General Motors has very exacting standards for its

ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONBy producing high-quality carpet and other interior components with DuPontTM Keldax® resins,

Magee Rieter Automotive earned its 11th straight GM Supplier of Year Award in April

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suppliers,” says Mike Katerman, president and CEO ofMagee Rieter. “For example, suppliers are expected tohave no more than 50 rejected parts for every one mil-lion they deliver. Last year, our rejection rate was twoparts per every million shipped.”

Magee Rieter also provides outstanding service,ensuring all parts are delivered in the right quantity tothe proper place at the right time and in the rightsequence so GM can efficiently manage its own compli-cated production process. GM also looks to its suppliersto bring innovative technology and competitive pricingto their products.

DUPONT COOPERATION

“We work closely with DuPont to develop new prod-ucts that help us remain a preferred supplier to GeneralMotors,” Katerman says. “Also, with the cooperation ofkey suppliers like DuPont, Magee Rieter continues to bea global price leader. We have to be price competitive ifwe want to grow our business.”

The company is one of General Motors’ oldest suppli-ers. Katerman’s great-grandfather founded Magee Car-pet Company in 1889 to produce hand-draped tapestriesfor stagecoaches and in the early 20th century begansupplying tapestries to Fisher Coach, which eventuallybecame part of General Motors.

In 1997, Magee Carpet formed a joint venture withRieter Holding Ltd. of Switzerland to combine Magee’sexpertise in molded automotive carpet floor systems withRieter’s skills in producing interior trim, acoustical systemsand heat shield systems to become a global supplier oftotal automotive interior acoustical partition systems.

The company’s relationship with DuPont dates back to1952, when Magee Carpet began purchasing nylon forautomotive, industrial and residential carpets. “We havea solid, trusting relationship with DuPont,” says Kater-man. “Today, companies often jump to other suppliers,but our alliance has stayed intact.”

Katerman’s uncle, who preceded him as president,notes that DuPont and Magee developed “a very ethicalrelationship based on mutual respect and trust. DuPonthas been a reliable and competitive supplier for 50 years.”

Magee began to focus exclusively on automotive car-pets in 1975 and worked closely with DuPont to developattractive mass-backed carpets containing Keldax® resins.

Keldax® resins are filled, ethylene-based polymers thatprovide economical sound barriers in automotive and

industrial applications. The product enables manufactur-ers like Magee Rieter to pre-shape ready-to-install, mass-backed carpets that speed automotive assembly. MageeRieter makes its own carpet, mats and other components.It colors the fiber to its customers’ specifications,extrudes Keldax® on the back, then molds and shapes thesystem and ships it to GM or other customers in time tobe installed in a new automobile.

In addition to being used in automotive carpet, Keldax®

is incorporated as a sound barrier in dash insulators,wheel well covers, rear seat barriers and package trays,trunk liners, door panel water shields, seat belt retractors,small motor housings and wherever else a formed soundbarrier is needed. The result is higher-quality rides withreduced noise, vibration and harshness.

Keldax® can be processed on conventional wear-resistant extrusion and injection molding equipment.Unlike mastics and asphalt-based sound barrier mate-rials, Keldax® can be accurately formed into complex,deep-drawn shapes that have excellent strength anddurability. Because of their relatively high weight-to-volume ratio, Keldax® resins can be applied in thin,space-saving gauges. Keldax® can also be recycled andreintroduced with virgin material as feedstock for newmelt processing.

Components made of Keldax® retain their shape foreasy installation and a precise fit. When heated, Keldax®

adheres to a variety of substrates, including soundabsorbers and decouplers, without the use of adhesives.When bonded to decouplers that have no shape reten-tion properties of their own, Keldax® helps these decou-plers hold a proper shape.

“Magee Rieter is a special company,” says DuPontPackaging & Industrial Polymers President Craig Binetti.“They have the same high expectations of DuPont as theircustomers have for them. Our long relationship gives usan opportunity to work as partners in developing new andbetter ways to provide products that truly add value to carmanufacturers and, ultimately, the consumer.”

Katerman won’t predict whether Magee Rieter willhave a “12-peat” as a General Motors Supplier of theYear for 2003 but one fact is clear: the company’s stringof championship seasons will serve as a standard ofexcellence few can match.

To learn more about the matchless benefits of Keldax® and other DuPont industrial polymers, go towww.dupont.com/industrial-polymers. ■

Magee Rieter Automotive supplies carpet and other interior components made with DuPontTM Keldax® resin for such GM models as the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Oldsmobile Bravada and the Cadillac CTS (shown). Components made with Keldax® retain their shape for easy installation and precise fit.

GETTINGTURNED ON TO

DuPont is actively involved with programs such as theNational Science Olympiad, Keystone Science Schooland International Science & Engineering Fairs.

Here’s a look at a few of the science education ini-tiatives that DuPont and its employees support.

CUSP Science in the School Day

This past April in Rhode Island, Bryanne Grainger, achemical engineer at the DuPont Marshall Laboratoryin Philadelphia, and Providence Mayor David Cicillinehelped students build domes from interlocking trian-gles made of toothpicks and gumdrops. Then, theypiled textbooks on the domes to see how many booksthey could hold. Mitcael Archer, 8, expected a group offour domes to hold one book before collapsing. Butthe structure supported nine books, causing his class-mate Sean Trafford to proclaim, “It’s amazing!”

Actually, Grainger explains, it’s sound engineering.“The domes are made up of triangles, which are strongand stable shapes.

“I wish there had been a program like this for mewhen I was young,” she continues. “In elementaryschool, middle school, and high school, I really didn’tknow the meaning of engineering. Not until collegedid I realize the true definition of engineering.”

The assignment sounded like something out of theCandy Land® board game: Build a dome with gum-drops and toothpicks. But for second graders at Lillian Feinstein Sackett Street Elementary in Provi-dence, Rhode Island, it wasn’t just child’s play.

It was a lesson in engineering, presented during aScience in the School Day by Cities United for ScienceProgress (CUSP). Formed last year, CUSP is an initiativeof the U.S. Conference of Mayors and DuPont to helpmayors create healthier, safer, more innovative and eco-nomically vibrant cities through science-based solutions.The program is one of many DuPont efforts to get kids“turned on to science,” says Randy Guschl, director ofthe DuPont Center for Collaborative Research and Edu-cation, which spearheads the company’s work withteachers, the business community and others to preparetoday’s children for tomorrow’s world.

Guschl said the goal of DuPont is to ensure that thenext generation of citizens has a working knowledgeof the methods of science and understands its role intheir lives.

“We believe that DuPont is somewhat unique amongcorporations in that we invest in education along theentire pipeline – from kindergarten to the post-doctor-ate level,” he says. “We do this because we recognizedsome years ago that growing a scientist or engineerbegins on the first day of elementary school.”

The DuPont Center for Collaborative Research andEducation encourages science literacy and nurtures stu-dents’ science capabilities by supporting school-basedreform efforts in communities where the companyoperates, such as Delaware, New Jersey, South Car-olina and Alabama, and in select urban districts such asProvidence and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In addition to promoting school-based reform,

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Through corporate initiatives and individual employee efforts, DuPont is working to improve science

21

SCIENCEDuPontTM Science Safety ZoneTM

Each year, DuPont is a major participant at theNational Convention of the National Science TeachersAssociation. DuPont U.S. sites provide grants that allowlocal teachers to attend. At this year’s gathering, LeoHamilton, DuPont Safety Resources president for theUnited States and Canada, unveiled the DuPontTM

Science Safety ZoneTM, a program to heighten safetyawareness during science lab activities.

Teachers, students and their parents sign the “ScienceSafety Zone Pledge” and promise to “follow the safetyguidelines to make sure my classmates and I are able tosafely and successfully conduct science experiments.”

DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition

The DuPont Challenge is the premier science andtechnology essay contest for students in grades 7 to 12.Each year, some 10,000 contestants submit 700- to1,000-word essays about a scientific or technologicaldevelopment, event or theory. Students compete formore than $11,000 in cash prizes. First-place winners(and their parent and science teacher) also receive anall-expense-paid trip to NASA’s Space Center Houstonto tour the Johnson Space Center and meet with scien-tists, engineers and astronauts.

Science teacher Allen Sachs – who taught 2002 first-place senior division winner Tara Berman of JerichoHigh School in Jericho, New York – says the contestencourages students to think about how science affectstheir lives. “That helps generate a larger interest and getskids actually involved in science,” he notes.

To learn more about the DuPont Challenge EssayContest, check www.glcomm.com/dupont.

Far left: At a Rhode Islandelementary school, DuPontChemical Engineer BryanneGrainger presented engineeringconcepts to second gradersusing gumdrops and toothpicks.

Left: Providence Mayor DavidCicilline watches as a studentpiles heavy textbooks atop agroup of gumdrop-and-toothpick domes to see howmany they’d hold. Theysupported nine beforecollapsing.

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education and promote science literacy

22

Rough Science

In October 2002, the National Science Foundationand DuPont sponsored the first season of Rough Sci-ence, a PBS series that is billed as the thinking person’sreality show. On Rough Science, a group of scientists ona remote island must pool their collective knowledge tosolve a series of problems, using only a rudimentarytool kit and the natural resources around them.

In the first six episodes, the scientists producedpaper, ink and measuring devices to map their island,built a transmitter and radio, and made sunscreen.

Ellen McCallie, an educator and tropical ecologist atthe Missouri Botanical Gardens, was one of the scien-tists in the first season. “Science is important because ittrains people to think, it trains people to make deci-sions, and it trains people to discover,” she says. “It’s awonderful way of life.”

Check your local TV listings for Rough Scienceviewing times, or visit www.pbs.org/weta/roughscience/.

Project SEED

DuPont Research Associate Sharon Haynie has beeninvolved with the American Chemical Society’s ProjectSEED (Summer Employment for Economically Disadvan-taged) since 1992. The program offers high school stu-dents eight-week paid internships with working scientists.

Since 1968, more than 6,000 students have partici-

pated in the program at academic,industrial and governmental labs.Last summer, Vada Richardsoninterned with Haynie at the DuPontExperimental Station in Wilmington,Delaware.

“What I seek most is not thatthey become a scientist, but that they learn to usemethods and ways of thinking that are common inresearch – for example, being probing, critical and ana-lytical in examining the world around them,” Haynieexplains. “I hope I’m doing a small part to create amore technically competitive and competent futuregeneration of citizens.”

To learn more about Project SEED, visit www.acs.org.

F.I.R.S.T. Robotics

DuPont has long been involved with F.I.R.S.T. (ForInspiration and Recognition of Science and Technol-ogy), an organization founded by SegwayTM inventorDean Kamen that challenges high school students tothink outside the box, improvise within constraints andwork collaboratively.

A half dozen DuPont sites now sponsor teams inF.I.R.S.T.’s annual robotics competition, which immersesstudents in the exciting world of engineering. Groups ofteens are teamed with professional engineers to get ahands-on look at the profession. The students and mentors have six weeks to brainstorm, design, constructand test a “champion robot” that can complete specifiedtasks. The teams then compete in exciting tournaments– where their robots form alliances with others – complete with referees and cheerleaders.

For more information on F.I.R.S.T., go towww.usfirst.org.

To learn more about DuPont efforts to turn youngpeople on to science, contact the DuPont Center forCollaborative Research and Education at (302) 892-1179or send email to office-of-education@usa.dupont.com.You can also go to DuPont.com and enter DuPont.com QuickWord: Education. ■

DuPont Research Associate Sharon Haynielooks on as her 2002 Project SEED intern VadaRichardson checks the rate of a reactionusing a spectrophotometer.

To improve the quality of core science edu-cation programs in grades K to 8 inDelaware, DuPont contributed seed moneyand senior scientists and engineers to helplead the reform of elementary science edu-cation during the 1990s. “Our goals were toensure that all our children achieve the sci-ence literacy they will need to makeinformed decisions about the products ofscience-based companies like DuPont and

to encourage kids to pursue careers in sci-ence, technology and engineering,” accord-ing to Phyllis Buchanan, manager of theDuPont Office of Education.

That reform produced the Delaware StateScience Standards and instituted systems toenable all teachers in the state to teach sci-ence using inquiry, hands-on approaches.Delaware’s children now learn science bydoing science the way scientists do.

In 2002, 90 percent of Delaware’s fourthgraders and 74 percent of the state’s sixthgraders met or exceeded the state’s sciencestandards on the statewide assessment.“We are applying the lessons learned at theelementary school level to extend thereform to the middle schools and highschools,” adds Randy Guschl, director ofthe DuPont Center for CollaborativeResearch and Education.

L e s s o n s L e a r n e d F r o m S c h o o l R e f o r m i n D e l a w a r e

Leo Hamilton of DuPontSafety Resources unveiledthe DuPont™ Science SafetyZone™program at the NationalScience Teachers Associationnational convention.

23

There was no cash register to ring the sale, butDuPont records show the company’s first busi-

ness transaction was the 1802 purchase of a gun-powder ingredient by the third president of theyoung United States, Thomas Jefferson.

“Our corporate history is deeply intertwined withU.S. growth from the Jeffersonian era onward,” saysDuPont Chairman and CEO Chad Holliday. “In timesof peace and peril, DuPont has always stood readyto offer its products and technologies to the causeof freedom.”

The sole DuPont product in those early years wasblack powder for arms and blasting, and in an age offrontier expansionism, it was in demand by both thegovernment and citizenry. During the War of 1812,

Washington called on DuPont for gunpowder to helpthwart a British landing near Lewes, Delaware. Thecompany sprang into action, rushing a supply to thebattlefront some 80 miles away.

“That literally exhausted the company’s stockpilesand DuPont temporarily lost private sector marketshare,” observes Frank Pugliese, DuPont director, gov-ernment business development. “But in serving the

DuPont powder wagons like the one in Howard Pyle’s 1911illustration supplied Commodore O. H. Perry during theWar of 1812. After defeating the British squadron on Lake Erie, Perry reported: “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

DuPont has supported U.S. defense needs since the

earliest years of the Republic. Today, advanced materials

such as DuPontTM Kevlar® and DuPontTM Nomex® brand

fibers are boosting combat effectiveness and safety.

HELPINGFREEDOM

RING

24

greater need, DuPont forged a rela-tionship that has served both us andour country well.”

The company’s linkage to U.S.defense can be seen in almost everyphase of its history. DuPont suppliedpowder to Federal troops in both theMexican War (1846-48) and Civil War

(1861-64). In World War I (1914-18),DuPont supplied 40 percent of the smokeless powderthe Allies used.

“Following the Great War, the company’s directionbegan to change with the refinement of the nitrocellu-lose chemistry that was the basis of explosives manu-facture,” Pugliese continues. “This was thespringboard for plastics, films, lac-quers and fibers such as nylon.”

Hosiery Takes a BackseatNylon was declared a “strate-

gic material” by Washington atthe outbreak of World War II

(1941–45). Ladies’ hosiery tooka backseat as the fiber servedthe military in parachutes, bomber crew jacketsand glider tow ropes.

DuPontTM Neoprene synthetic rubber was alsoadded to the strategic materials list when Asian nat-ural rubber sources dried up. Superior to natural rub-ber in a number of ways, it was ideal for vehicle andaircraft tires, fuel lines and gas masks.

Toward the end of the conflict, DuPontTM Teflon®

fluoropolymer, the non-stick material best knowntoday for its use on cookware, made its debut aswiring insulation in B-29 bombers.

“To meet the incredible war-era demand for synthet-ics, DuPont engineered 54 plants in 32 different loca-tions for the U.S. Government from 1942 to 1945,”adds Pugliese. DuPont also contributed to the Manhat-tan Project’s development of an atomic weapon.

As World War II drew to a close, the nation askedDuPont to construct and operate the massive Savan-nah River Plant in South Carolina. For 39 years underDuPont direction, the facility generated a reliablesupply of weapons-grade plutonium and tritium.

“And in the 1960s, during the space race, DuPont

materials were in abundance in nearly every U.S.launch vehicle, satellite and manned space-

craft,” comments Pugliese. “Take the 25-layer space suit Neil Armstrong was

wearing when he stepped onto themoon. DuPont materials were in all buttwo of those layers.”

Stronger than SteelSince then, other DuPont materials

have served the nation in space and on theground. “One of our premier materials is DuPontTM

Kevlar® brand fiber, which is used in bullet- andfragment-resistant military vests,” says CarolannHaznedar, a global business manager in the

25

DUPONT TEAMSWITH ARMY AND MITON COMBAT GEAR

When Rome’s Legions went into battle,troops carried combat gear weighing amere 45 pounds (20 kg), but today’s U.S. sol-diers often carry twice that and more. Withthe Legions’ standard as a goal, the U.S.Army Research Office and the Massachu-setts Institute of Technology (MIT) have ini-tiated the Institute for SoldierNanotechnologies (ISN). The aim of this $50million research effort, which opened May22 at MIT, is to develop lighter-weight mili-tary materials and “smart gear” that canhelp increase a soldier’s chance of survivalon the battlefield.

DuPont, one of the founding industrialpartners of ISN, has long been involvedwith nanotechnology, the science of alter-ing the molecular structure of materials inthe nanometer range – one-billionth of ameter – to create new materials anddevices. “The hope for this technology is toliterally revolutionize combat gear,” saysDr. Wayne Marsh of DuPont CentralResearch and Development, who is thecompany’s primary interface with ISN. “Thefocus is on lighter-weight materials that canbetter protect, shield and heal soldiersunder the most adverse combat conditions.”

Areas of ISN interest include uniformsthat can monitor and transmit reports ofan injured soldier’s condition and fieldlocation, administer medication, andeven become rigid to serve as a splintuntil help arrives.

“Communications gear would be literallywoven into the uniform to enable informa-tion transfer,” explains Marsh. “Or imaginea uniform that auto-detects biologicalagents in the air and blocks a soldier’sexposure to them. These ideas may seemfar out, but the ISN’s nanotechnologyresearch in conjunction with DuPont tech-nology may be able to overcome a numberof today’s technical barriers.”

DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems business. “Fivetimes stronger than steel on an equal weight basis,Kevlar® is also ideal for other military uses such asprotective combat helmets, countermine apparel,and aircraft and tank ballistic panels.”

U.S. military aviators and aircrews wear flight suitsand gloves of DuPontTM Nomex® brand fiber. Nomex®

won’t melt or drip when exposed to flame, and isinherently flame-resistant, giving pilots more time toescape burning wreckage. Nomex® doesn’t dependon topical chemical treatments that can wear off orbe washed out and is used for flame-resistantapparel in civilian applications from firefighterturnout gear to NASCAR® race suits.

Air Force Captain Scott O’Grady was wearing a flightsuit of Nomex® when he was shot down over Bosnia inJune 1995. He also was carrying a map – printed onDuPontTM Tyvek® protective material – that helped himlocate his ground position and aid his rescuers. Tyvek®

won’t tear or stretch when wet, or crack when cold. Itcan even be used to gather rainwater for drinking.

Other materials supporting the U.S. militaryinclude DuPontTM Kapton® polyimide film, used inflexible circuitry to miniaturize electronic gear, andDuPontTM Aracon® metal clad fiber, which providesEMI (electromagnetic interference) protection, greaterflexibility and significant weight reduction for cablesused in aircraft and communications satellites.

“Applying our science to improve the efficiencyand safety of U.S. men and women in uniform is acontinual source of pride and inspiration for our com-pany,” concludes DuPont CEO Holliday.

To learn more about these and other applicationsof DuPont science, visit us at www.dupont.com. ■

Scientists at MIT have depositednano layers of DuPontTM Teflon®

fluoropolymer onto DuPontTM

Kevlar® brand fiber, rendering the material waterproof while adding only .001 pound to the material’s weight.

forefront of automotive safety design. “This is one rea-son DuPont enjoys and respects its relationship withVolvo so much,” says Bill Kings, color marketing man-ager with DuPont Herberts Automotive Systems inWuppertal, Germany. “Both companies have becomevery successful in their respective industries whilesharing an uncompromising commitment to safety. Welike working with others who understand that safetyand profitability are not divergent goals.”

Needless to say, the “safe, soundly-engineered”image of Volvo is here to stay, but today’s car buyerscan’t help but notice the new, sleek shapes in Volvoshowrooms. “Cars are almost like part of a person’swardrobe,” says Jose Diaz de la Vega, Volvo’s directorof advanced and strategic design. “We want to createan exciting environment which reflects the values ofthe owner and his family. Apart from its shape, color isthe first thing you notice about a car. It’s very much areflection of the personality of the owner, which is whyit plays such an important part in the overall designconcept of our cars.”

Paint Adds Value

Finding colors that attract customers is not done inisolation at Volvo. The company has relied for some 30years on what is now the DuPont European automotivepaints division, DuPont Herberts Automotive Systems,created as a result of the DuPont acquisition of Her-berts from Hoechst in 1999. “Paint is a critically impor-tant value-adding component of any Volvo car,” says

B uilding autos engineered for the best possible per-formance in safety, reliability and durability is nothingnew at Volvo, but the venerable Swedish automakerhas added a new dimension to its vehicles over thepast decade: hot styling.

“We’ve really been hitting the style theme hard sincemid-1990,” says Dan Johnston, a communications spe-cialist for Volvo North America. “Today, we offer carsas fresh and striking as any on the market, but with theadded advantage of Volvo safety engineering, and thatgives our customers peace of mind.”

Volvo’s all-pervasive safety philosophy can be traceddirectly to company’s founders, Assar Gabrielsson andGustaf Larson, who expressed their vision soon afterVolvo began operations in Hisingen, Sweden, in 1927:“Cars are driven by people. The guiding principlebehind everything we make at Volvo therefore is – andmust remain – safety.”

The depth of that commitment has played out overthe years. Volvo was the first automaker to introduce awide laminated safety windshield (1944), and in the late1950’s invented the three-point seat belt, followed byall-wheel disc brakes, a dual-circuit breaking system,and energy-absorbing front and rear crumple zones.

In the 1990s, the company introduced the industry’sfirst rigid (in-door) side-impact protection system. Soonfollowing were side-impact air bags, side window

inflatable curtains, and a head restraint system forwhiplash protection. These and other more subtle

safety innovations have placed Volvo at the

OFFERED ON THE COMPANY’S TOP-OF-THE-LINE S80 VEHICLES, A NEW WHITE PEARL PAINT TECHNOLOGY

FROM DUPONT HERBERTS IS ADDING NEW LUSTER TO VOLVO’S RENOWNED ENGINEERING REPUTATION

Pearls for the Road

A t Volvo, passenger safety

has always been paramount,

whether in the 1966 144

sedan or in today’s XC 90, the

company’s first SUV.

1 9 6 6 V O LV O 1 4 4

Pearls for the Road

2 0 0 3 V O LV O X C 9 0

26

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pany’s design, engineering, production and testingdepartments, and also paint specialists from theDuPont Herberts team.

Wet-on-Wet-on-Wet Solution

The breakthrough came just in time for Volvo’s 2002S80 model production run when DuPont Herberts,working with the company’s cross-functional team,introduced a proprietary paint system permitting “wet-on-wet-on-wet” application of the mica layer and thefinal lacquer. The need for drying or baking the interme-diate mica coat was completely eliminated.

“Thanks to a lot of involvement on both sides, wewere able to offer our top-of-the-line S80 in the newWhite Pearl finish last year,” says Volvo’s Johnston.“We introduced it at the Detroit Auto Show in January2002, and it continues to be a popular color for the U.S.automotive market.”

Volvo’s Petra Widmann, the designer who headedVolvo’s cross-functional Tri-Color team, expects thenew finish to do well abroad, too. “It has great potentialin any area with strong sunlight, which really brings outthe depth and beauty of this color design,” she says.

It appears the new White Pearl finish will indeed addluster to the company’s already bright future. For moreinformation on the stylish new line of Volvo cars, visitwww.volvocars.com. And to learn more about the dra-matic new colors, ultra durable finishes and technicalexpertise available from DuPont Herberts, visitwww.dupont.com/coatings. ■

D uPont Herberts

developed a proprietary

paint system that allows

“wet-on-wet-on-wet”

robotic application of the

three-layer White Pearl

finish used on the Volvo

S80 sedan.

Diaz de la Vega. “It is important for both appearanceand durability. The average Volvo in Sweden has an 18-year lifespan, which is much longer than many cars, sowe choose our paints very carefully.”

An example of Volvo and DuPont Herberts working inpartnership to find the ideal blend of beauty and dura-bility was the “Tri-Coat” project, which began in thelate 1990s when Volvo was looking for a unique, butdurable pearlescent white finish. Unlike most automo-tive paint systems that consist of a water-soluble colorbase coat that is overlaid with clear lacquer, a tri-coatfinish includes an intermediate coat to achieve specialeffects. To achieve the pearlescent finish, it is neces-sary to apply an intermediate mica-containing layerover a normal base coat, and then apply a standardlacquer top coat. The intermediate coat of mica pro-vides the pearlescent effect while allowing some of thebase coat color to show through.

Such pearlescent finishes were becoming quite pop-ular in North America by the mid 1990s, but Volvo’spaint shop operations were not geared for them. Unliketwo-step processes that permit a clear lacquer to beapplied to an unbaked base coat, tri-coat processes atthe time required an intermediate bake of the micalayer before the final lacquer could be applied. Suchapplication delays were, in Volvo’s estimation, too detri-mental to the company’s production goals.

Good ideas don’t die easily, however, and Volvodecided to find a solution by forming a cross-functionalproject team consisting of personnel from the com-

A t Volvo’s Safety Center

in Torslanda, Sweden,

cars undergo crash tests

conducted at a variety of

angles and speeds.

Mannington Offers Floorswith DuPontTM Teflon®

Surface ProtectionIn April, Mannington Mills Inc. of Salem,

New Jersey, began marketing resilient,laminate and wood flooring products withnewly developed coatings made withDuPontTM Teflon® brand surface protector, adurable, stain and soil repellent that keepsfloors looking new longer.

“Teflon® is one of the most trusted brandsin the world,” said Kim Holm, Manningtonpresident of Residential Business. “We areenthusiastic that it will have a positive effecton the products it’s in.”

Extensive research by DuPont andMannington confirms that consumers will bereceptive to hard surface flooring with theTeflon® brand. In one survey, 66 percent ofrespondents indicated that their desire topurchase a particular floor would be “greatly”or “somewhat” improved if it had Teflon®

surface protector. These respondents alsobelieved that a floor with Teflon® would beeasier to take care of and look new longerthan a floor without it.

DuPont Global Brand Manager for Teflon®

James V. Forte adds, “This partnership withMannington is another way for consumers torealize the benefits of products with Teflon®.”

Mannington is the only North Americancompany engaged in the manufacture andmarketing of vinyl, laminate and wood floors,as well as commercial vinyl flooring andcarpet. For more information and to locate adealer near you, visit www.mannington.com.

SolaeTM Makes a “Splash”in Smoothies

New V8 Splash® Smoothies fromCampbell Soup Company are smooth andfruity juice drinks that pack a specialnutritional punch. They’re loaded withVitamin A, essential B Vitamins, Vitamin C,calcium and the better-for-you goodness ofSolaeTM brand soy protein from The SolaeCompany, a joint venture of DuPont andBunge. SolaeTM soy protein is a high qualityplant-based protein that is cholesterol free,lactose free and low in fat. Products withSolaeTM soy protein offer better-for-youbenefits and great taste.

Available in three flavors – Peach Mango,Strawberry Banana and Citrus Blend – V8Splash® Smoothies are aimed at healthconscious consumers and are sold in10-ounce plastic bottles for on-the-gorefreshment and 46-ounce plastic bottles formultiple serving convenience. Suggestedretail price for a 46-ounce bottle is $2.99and the suggested retail price for a 10-ouncebottle is $1.19.

Dairy- and lactose-free, the beverage hasa shelf life of nine months and doesn’trequire refrigeration. However, chill beforeserving for best taste and always refrigerateafter opening. More information about V8Splash® Smoothies can be found atwww.v8juice.com. More information aboutSolaeTM soy protein and products containingit can be found at www.solaeliving.com.

Pioneer Seed + DuPont Herbicide = High Wheat Yields

Thanks to an intensive crop managementprogram featuring Pioneer® brand 25R37wheat seed variety from Pioneer Hi-BredInternational, Inc., a DuPont company, andDuPontTM Harmony® Extra herbicide, theBoswell brothers of Lewisport won the2002 University of Kentucky WheatProduction Contest. In the photo, PioneerDistrict Sales Manager Bill Meacham (left)presents a trophy to William (middle) andGene Boswell for producing 105.93 bushelsper acre.

In addition to winning the state title for topyields, the brothers also earned top honorsin the no-till category for the secondconsecutive year. Of the 40 entrants in the2002 Kentucky Wheat Production Contest,27 planted Pioneer seed and 32 usedHarmony® Extra.

“Our yields had leveled off to around 80to 85 bushels per acre for several seasons,”Gene notes. “By combining all of the soundproduction fundamentals, such as properweed control, fertility, seeding rates andapplication timing, we were able to increaseour yield across our farm as well as in ourwinning contest plot.”

He and his brother have used DuPontTM

Harmony® Extra for 15 years to control wildgarlic and winter annual broadleaf weeds thatcan rob valuable moisture and nutrients fromthe crop. “We used to lose money everyseason due to wild garlic dockage, but wehaven’t lost a cent at the elevator sinceHarmony® Extra came along,” he explained.“It also does such an outstanding job onwinter annuals that we don’t worry aboutlosing yield to henbit and commonchickweed anymore, either.”

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Wipe Your Car Clean withDuPontTM Sontara®

Made with 13- by 15-inch sheets ofDuPontTM Sontara® nonwoven material,Armor All® Car Wash Wipes from Clorox arethe easy way to clean your car when it’s dirty– but not dirty enough to drag out the bucketand hose.

The soft, thick, pre-moistened wipesquickly remove bird droppings, bugs and dirtin about half the time needed for a traditionalhand wash. That’s because Car Wash Wipeswash, shine and protect with just a wipe, andneed no rinsing or towel drying. The cleaningformula evaporates quickly to a shiny finishwith no water spots.

“When selecting a nonwoven fabric forour product we chose Sontara® based onquality, service and the ability to optimizeperformance and costs,” says Armor All

Brand Manager Charles Mordy. “Thispartnership gives us the potential to bringnew and better products to the consumer.”

Clorox needed a fabric that was soft,strong, absorbent and abrasion resistant,and a team of DuPont R&D and marketingexperts developed the right solution, saysDuPont Market Manager Russ Welty. “Westudied carefully how the liquid and thewipes interacted, took into considerationconsumer perceptions and closelyexamined packaging needs.”

For more information on DuPontTM

Sontara®, visit the Sontara® Web site:www.sontara.com, and to find out where topurchase Armor All® Car Wash Wipes, go towww.armorall.com/dealer.

The BAX® system, a genetics-basedscreening method developed by DuPontQualicon, has been adopted by the U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) FoodSafety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to detectSalmonella in the nation’s ready-to-eat meat,poultry and pasteurized eggs.

Salmonella is a serious food pathogen.Although thorough cooking will kill thebacteria, cross-contamination of ready-to-eatfoods can occur through contaminatedutensils and hands. Each year, approximately40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported inthe United States and an estimated 1,000people die from it.

FSIS adopted the BAX® system to screenfor Salmonella after an evaluationdetermined that the DuPont system was assensitive as the current method of detectingSalmonella, but reduced reporting time by atleast three days. According to FSIS UnderSecretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa A.Murono, “This new screen test will savevaluable agency time and resources that canthen be applied in other ways to protectpublic health.”

FSIS already has adopted the BAX®

system for Listeria monocytogenes and isplanning to evaluate it for detection ofEscherichia coli (E.coli) 0157:H7.

“This is great news for the food industry,”said DuPont Qualicon President KevinHuttman. “Our customers depend on theBAX® system as a cost-effective means toprovide fast and reliable results. That’sbecause the BAX® system uses DNA

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molecular biology in an automated,standardized format to quickly and definitivelyscreen for food-borne pathogens.”

The BAX® system is a breakthroughgenetics-based screening method that detectstarget bacteria in raw ingredients, finishedfood products and environmental samples.The automated system, which takes littlespace and looks like a desktop computer, hasbeen available since November 2000. Morethan 300 BAX® systems already are in use bygovernments, food companies andlaboratories in 30 countries.

For additional information on the BAX®

system, visit http://www.qualicon.com/bax.html.

29

USDA Adopts DuPont System to Detect Salmonella