Polymer production innovation leads to patent for Pasadena woman

The invention of a new substance that could change the production of polymers has led to a U.S. patent for a Pasadena woman and her colleagues at ExxonMobil.

The patent describes how the invention, a new type of catalyst called polymorphogenates, could be used to improve the making of polymers used in a wide variety of products. The inventors write that this method would make polymer production more consistent across multiple plants and locations.

The Houston-area residents named in the patent are Michael F. McDonald of Kingwood, David Y. Chung of Bellaire, Robert N. Webb of Kingwood and Deborah J. Davis of Pasadena. Timothy D. Shaffer of Hackettstown, New Jersey, and Pamela J. Wright of Easton, Pennsylvania, are also named as inventors.

The patent's official number is 7,893,176. It was originally filed on March 23, 2007, and officially approved on Feb. 22 of this year. ExxonMobil Chemical Patents is listed as the owner.

ExxonMobil is a major multinational oil and gas company and one of the world's largest publicly traded corporations. The offices of its chemical division are located in the Memorial area at 13501 Katy Freeway.