William E. Hanford; Inventor of Polyurethane

William Edward Hanford, 87, an inventor of polyurethane and pioneer in developing synthetic foams and fibers. Hanford and other chemists at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. discovered the basic broad chemistry of polyurethane in the 1930s and shared a patent in 1942. The material is now routinely used in foam padding, upholstery, carpeting, artificial hearts and many other products ranging from varnish to skateboard wheels. Hanford was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1991. On Saturday in Bethesda, Md.