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Alexander ParkesEnglish metallurgist and inventor
Date of Birth: 29.12.1813
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Alexander Parks
Alexander Parks, an English metallurgist and inventor, was the first inventor of plastic. He patented a total of 66 products and processes related to galvanization and plastic. In 1870, a judge studying Parks' original experiments concluded that Alexander Parks, not John Wesley Hyatt who first patented celluloid in the United States, was the true inventor of celluloid.
Early Life and Career
Alexander Parks was born on December 29, 1813, on Suffolk Street in Birmingham. He was the fourth son of James Mears Parkes, a producer of brass locks, and his wife Kerenhappuch Childs. Parks began his career as an apprentice at the copper company 'Messenger and Sons' before working for George and Henry Elkington, who patented the electroplating process. He became the head of the casting department and developed a strong interest in galvanization.
In 1841, Parks obtained his first patent for a delicate method of covering one metal with another in the production of artworks. He further improved his galvanization methods, making decorative plating possible for fragile objects such as flowers, and obtained another patent in 1843. Alexander worked with objects soaked in a phosphorus solution and then silver nitrate. His discoveries allowed him to create silver plated wire, which he presented to Prince Albert in 1844. In 1846, he patented the cold process for transforming raw rubber into vulcanized rubber, a method that Thomas Hancock referred to as "one of the most valuable and astonishing discoveries of the century."
Invention of Parkesine
Alexander also developed and patented the process of pyrometallurgical treatment of crude lead. In 1856, he obtained a patent for Parkesine, the first thermoplastic made from nitrocellulose dissolved in ethanol. This material was showcased at the International London Exhibition in 1862. In 1866, Parks founded his company, the 'Parkesine Company,' in Hackney Wick, London, with the aim of mass-producing thermoplastics at a low cost. However, his business did not achieve commercial success due to the high production costs, tendency to crack, and flammability of Parkesine. He closed his business in 1868.
Later Life and Legacy
Continuing his research, Alexander Parks collaborated with Daniel Spill to improve the quality of his material, eventually leading to the creation of celluloid. Spill sued John Wesley Hyatt, who was credited with the invention of celluloid in the United States, but lost the case. However, in 1870, a judge examining Parks' original experiments ruled that Alexander Parks was the true inventor of celluloid.
Parks was married twice. From his first marriage to Jane Henshall Moore, he had four sons and two daughters. From his second marriage to Mary Ann Roderick, he had four sons and seven daughters. His son, Alexander Parks Jr., served as the president of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for a period of time. Alexander's younger brother, chemist Henry Parks, was married to Fanny Roderick, the sister of his second wife. Henry assisted his inventor brother with numerous experiments, and their fruitful collaboration lasted over 50 years.
Alexander Parks passed away on June 29, 1890, and was buried in West Norwood Cemetery, although his memorial was removed in the 1970s. In 2002, the Plastics Historical Society installed a decorative blue plastic disc in Parks' home in Dulwich, London. In 2005, Parks was posthumously inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame by the American Plastics Academy (APA).
