Winnington Laboratory

Winnington Laboratory
ICI Winnington
Former ICI works in November 2005
Location within Cheshire
Former names	ICI Research Laboratory
Alternative names	Alkali Division Research Laboratories[1]
General information
Type	Chemical Research Centre
Address	Winnington, Cheshire, CW8 4DU
Coordinates	53.2687°N 2.5327°W / 53.2687; -2.5327
Elevation	30 m (98 ft)
Client	ICI
Owner	ICI

The Winnington Laboratory was a former chemical laboratory at Winnington, near Northwich, in Cheshire, England.

History

Winnington Works in 1992

The Winnington Works were built in 1874.

The laboratory was set up by the ICI Alkali Division of Imperial Chemical Industries. The chemist Francis Arthur Freeth arrived in 1907, and became head of the laboratory.[2] ICI was formed in 1926.

Discovery of polythene

See also: Plastics engineering

On 24 March 1933[3] two scientists conducted an experiment that produced polythene (polyethylene). Benzaldehyde was reacted with ethene (ethylene) at 2,000 atmospheres pressure. Sir Michael Perrin worked with this group of scientists from October 1933 until 1938.[4] In December 1935 he conducted an experiment that allowed polythene to be created. Polythene is the world's most widespread plastic.

In 1958, manufacture of polythene was moved to ICI's plant in Hertfordshire (ICI Plastics).

Structure

The laboratory was off the A533 next to the River Weaver and south of Barnton, Cheshire. The nearby chemical works makes soda ash (sodium carbonate). 280 staff worked at the laboratory.

See also

• Billingham Manufacturing Plant, former ICI fertiliser plant
• British Plastics Federation
• ICI Fibres Research Centre at Harrogate
• Widnes Laboratory, where the world's first synthetic general anaesthetic gas was developed

Polythene invention memorial

References

1. New Scientist February 1958
2. New Scientist 12 March 1959
3. New Scientist 24 March 1983
4. New Scientist 24 January 1957

External links

• Science Museum ICI Polythene archive