DuPont Quiz: Discover 200 Years of Innovation

DuPont is one of the oldest industrial companies in the United States, with roots going back to the early years of the 19th century. It was established by a French immigrant chemist on the banks of a river in the northeastern United States, initially focused on a product essential to the military and mining industries.

DuPont was founded by a French-born chemist who emigrated to the United States after the French Revolution. He came from a family with strong ties to science in France. After noticing the poor quality of American gunpowder, he set up a mill to manufacture a superior product, laying the foundation for a global industrial giant.

DuPont is based in a city in the northeastern United States that has historically been one of the most important centres of American industrial and corporate history. The city is the largest in its state and has been closely tied to the DuPont family and its business for over two centuries, making it a landmark in American heritage.

Teflon was discovered accidentally in 1938 by a DuPont chemist while experimenting with refrigerant gases. The material is chemically inert, resistant to high temperatures and has an extremely low coefficient of friction. These properties made it valuable across industries far beyond cookware, including aerospace, medical devices and electronics.

In 1981, DuPont made a significant move into the energy sector by acquiring one of America's major oil and gas companies. The purchase aimed to secure a reliable supply of petroleum-based feedstocks for its chemicals business. It was among the largest corporate acquisitions in US history at the time, marking a major strategic shift.