John A. Cuculo 1924-2009
Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
John A. Cuculo
June 23, 1924 - August 21, 2009
John A. Cuculo was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, attended public schools, and graduated from
Classical High School in 1942. He graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry in
1945. He married Eve Cortese on July 13, 1946 and raised three daughters: Sherry, Patty and Laurie. After
working for a local chemical company for one year, he enrolled in the PhD program in Chemistry at Duke
University under the direction of Dr. Lucius Bigelow and graduated in 1950.
He began a distinguished career as a research chemist in the Polychemicals Department at the DuPont
Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware. One of his major projects was the commercialization of high
strength monofilament fishing line trade named Stren. In 1968, he became a senior research chemist at
DuPont’s Pioneering Research Laboratories. Shortly thereafter, he responded to an ad placed by Bob Work,
moved to Raleigh and joined the Textile Chemistry Department in the School of Textiles at North Carolina State
University.
His 26 years at NC State were spent working with colleagues Paul A. Tucker, T. Waller George, Michael Theil,
Ferdinand Lundberg and numerous graduate students. Breakthrough research in producing high strength
polymers was made by PhD student Phillip A. Griswold in the early 1970s. That work led to support by the
National Science Foundation. A new solvent spinning system for cellulose using ammonia and ammonium
thiocyanate was developed while working with graduate student Samuel M. Hudson. That research resulted in
commercialization of a new cellulose fiber by Avtex Fibers at their Front Royal, Virginia manufacturing site.
Chemical Week reported that the new system reduced the number of separate steps from 15 to nine and time
required from 72 hours to eight compared with the viscose system. High strength polyesters were developed in
the extrusion / drawing facilities, first in Nelson Hall and later in new facilities on Centennial Campus.
Ferdinand Lundberg from Allied-Signal joined the team to run the laboratory. The new polyester was produced
at the Allied-Signal plant in Moncure, North Carolina.
John and his team of friends often adjourned to the Faculty Club for lunch. A Cuculo Special sandwich was
developed and added to the main menu. After lunch, when John had purposely eaten only half his sandwich, he
dutifully wrapped it up and took it back to his office and gave it to one of his students.
In 1986 he was named Celanese Corporation Professor of Fiber and Polymer Science in recognition of his
achievements which included some six patents and 50 articles and papers. In 1992, the professorship was
renamed Hoechst Celanese in recognition of the merger/acquisition to form the new company. A consortium
was formed that included Allied-Signal and Hoechst Celanese to continue work developing high-strength
fibers. Numerous articles appeared in the North Carolina press celebrating the polymer developments.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. granted a research fellowship in 1993 to support student fees and buy new
equipment. John retired in August 1994.
In 1996, John was honored with the awarding of the S.G. Smith Memorial Medal by the Textile Institute of Leeds,
England. The following photo shows Cuculo receiving the award from Dr. Joe Cunning, also a former DuPont
employee.
View the medal.
John died August 21,2009.
Partial List of Students:
Phillip A. Griswold, Dae Wu Ihm, Gao-Yuan Chen, Margaret Frey, Annette Wilson, Larry Wadsworth, Samuel M.
Hudson, Jeff Denton, A. Willem deGroot, K.S. Yang, Ed Boudreaux.
Memberships, Scholastic and Professional Affiliations
Phi Lambda Upsilon, Sigma Xi, ACS, Fiber Society, NY Academy of Science, American Association for the
Advancement of Science, Chairman 1983-84 Rayon/Acetate Council. S.G. Smith Award by the Textile Institute
Selected US Patents:
1. 4,367,191 J.A. Cuculo, S.M. Hudson, A method of forming a cellulose fiber which comprises dissolving
cellulose in a solvent comprising ammonia and a salt and subsequently forming a fiber. Filed March 25, 1981
issued 1983.
2. 5,405,696 John A. Cuculo, Paul A. Tucker, Ferdinand Lundberg, Gao-Yuan Chen, “Ultra-Oriented
Crystalline Filament, Filed December 2, 1993. Issued 1995.
3. A more complete listing may be found at: John A. Cuculo
Selected Publications:
1. Synthetic-Fiber Research Seeks Ultimate Strength, Raleigh News & Observer, February 22, 1976, page
14-I.
2. S. M. Hudson and J.A. Cuculo, J. Macromol.Sci, C18, 1, (1980).
3. S.M. Hudson, J.A.Cuculo, and L.C. Wadsworth, J.Polym.Sci.,Polym. Chem. Ed., 21, 651, (1983).
4. "Avtex to spin rayon with solvent," Chemical Week, September 19, 1984, page 16.
5. Y.S.Chen and J.A.Cuculo, J. Polym. Sci, Part A:Poly.Chem., 24, 2075 (1986).
6. Numerous North Carolina newspaper clippings, June 20, 1992.
7. “Strands of Steel” – regarding stronger polyesters, NCSU Alumni magazine, Jan. 1993, page 29.
8. John A. Cuculo, S. M. Hudson, A. V. Wilson, "Direct Solvents for Cellulose," International Fiber Journal,
June, 1993, pages 50-52, 54, 56-7.
9. A more complete listing may be found at: John A. Cuculo
Page Copyright Gary N. Mock 2012
June 23, 1924 - August 21, 2009
John A. Cuculo was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, attended public schools, and graduated from
Classical High School in 1942. He graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry in
1945. He married Eve Cortese on July 13, 1946 and raised three daughters: Sherry, Patty and Laurie. After
working for a local chemical company for one year, he enrolled in the PhD program in Chemistry at Duke
University under the direction of Dr. Lucius Bigelow and graduated in 1950.
He began a distinguished career as a research chemist in the Polychemicals Department at the DuPont
Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware. One of his major projects was the commercialization of high
strength monofilament fishing line trade named Stren. In 1968, he became a senior research chemist at
DuPont’s Pioneering Research Laboratories. Shortly thereafter, he responded to an ad placed by Bob Work,
moved to Raleigh and joined the Textile Chemistry Department in the School of Textiles at North Carolina State
University.
His 26 years at NC State were spent working with colleagues Paul A. Tucker, T. Waller George, Michael Theil,
Ferdinand Lundberg and numerous graduate students. Breakthrough research in producing high strength
polymers was made by PhD student Phillip A. Griswold in the early 1970s. That work led to support by the
National Science Foundation. A new solvent spinning system for cellulose using ammonia and ammonium
thiocyanate was developed while working with graduate student Samuel M. Hudson. That research resulted in
commercialization of a new cellulose fiber by Avtex Fibers at their Front Royal, Virginia manufacturing site.
Chemical Week reported that the new system reduced the number of separate steps from 15 to nine and time
required from 72 hours to eight compared with the viscose system. High strength polyesters were developed in
the extrusion / drawing facilities, first in Nelson Hall and later in new facilities on Centennial Campus.
Ferdinand Lundberg from Allied-Signal joined the team to run the laboratory. The new polyester was produced
at the Allied-Signal plant in Moncure, North Carolina.
John and his team of friends often adjourned to the Faculty Club for lunch. A Cuculo Special sandwich was
developed and added to the main menu. After lunch, when John had purposely eaten only half his sandwich, he
dutifully wrapped it up and took it back to his office and gave it to one of his students.
In 1986 he was named Celanese Corporation Professor of Fiber and Polymer Science in recognition of his
achievements which included some six patents and 50 articles and papers. In 1992, the professorship was
renamed Hoechst Celanese in recognition of the merger/acquisition to form the new company. A consortium
was formed that included Allied-Signal and Hoechst Celanese to continue work developing high-strength
fibers. Numerous articles appeared in the North Carolina press celebrating the polymer developments.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. granted a research fellowship in 1993 to support student fees and buy new
equipment. John retired in August 1994.
In 1996, John was honored with the awarding of the S.G. Smith Memorial Medal by the Textile Institute of Leeds,
England. The following photo shows Cuculo receiving the award from Dr. Joe Cunning, also a former DuPont
employee.
View the medal.
John died August 21,2009.
Partial List of Students:
Phillip A. Griswold, Dae Wu Ihm, Gao-Yuan Chen, Margaret Frey, Annette Wilson, Larry Wadsworth, Samuel M.
Hudson, Jeff Denton, A. Willem deGroot, K.S. Yang, Ed Boudreaux.
Memberships, Scholastic and Professional Affiliations
Phi Lambda Upsilon, Sigma Xi, ACS, Fiber Society, NY Academy of Science, American Association for the
Advancement of Science, Chairman 1983-84 Rayon/Acetate Council. S.G. Smith Award by the Textile Institute
Selected US Patents:
1. 4,367,191 J.A. Cuculo, S.M. Hudson, A method of forming a cellulose fiber which comprises dissolving
cellulose in a solvent comprising ammonia and a salt and subsequently forming a fiber. Filed March 25, 1981
issued 1983.
2. 5,405,696 John A. Cuculo, Paul A. Tucker, Ferdinand Lundberg, Gao-Yuan Chen, “Ultra-Oriented
Crystalline Filament, Filed December 2, 1993. Issued 1995.
3. A more complete listing may be found at: John A. Cuculo
Selected Publications:
1. Synthetic-Fiber Research Seeks Ultimate Strength, Raleigh News & Observer, February 22, 1976, page
14-I.
2. S. M. Hudson and J.A. Cuculo, J. Macromol.Sci, C18, 1, (1980).
3. S.M. Hudson, J.A.Cuculo, and L.C. Wadsworth, J.Polym.Sci.,Polym. Chem. Ed., 21, 651, (1983).
4. "Avtex to spin rayon with solvent," Chemical Week, September 19, 1984, page 16.
5. Y.S.Chen and J.A.Cuculo, J. Polym. Sci, Part A:Poly.Chem., 24, 2075 (1986).
6. Numerous North Carolina newspaper clippings, June 20, 1992.
7. “Strands of Steel” – regarding stronger polyesters, NCSU Alumni magazine, Jan. 1993, page 29.
8. John A. Cuculo, S. M. Hudson, A. V. Wilson, "Direct Solvents for Cellulose," International Fiber Journal,
June, 1993, pages 50-52, 54, 56-7.
9. A more complete listing may be found at: John A. Cuculo
Page Copyright Gary N. Mock 2012
With drawing equipment
in Nelson Hall
in Nelson Hall
John with Paul Tucker
John with students and visitor
Ferdinand Lundberg and John with guests
Click to enlarge
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