“Uncovering the Sticky Secret: The Surprising Inventor Behind Super Glue’s Revolutionary Bond!”
Given the astounding versatility and utility of his invention, it is safe to assume that Harry Coover became a very wealthy man…right? Alas, this is not the case, for while Kodak might have originated the product, they did not manage to capitalize on its success, and in 1980 the rights to super glue were sold to the National Starch Company. As a result, Harry Coover never received any royalties from his creation. But this did not prevent Coover from having a remarkable career. By the time of his death from congestive heart failure on March 26, 2011, Coover held 460 patents, including for graft polymerization, olefin polymerization, and organophosphorus chemistry. Over his nearly 60-year career authored over 60 papers and served as Vice President of Eastman Kodak, Director of Research and Development at Eastman Chemical Division, President of New Business Development at the Loctite Corporation, and board member at Reilly Industries. The many awards he received for his lifetime of work include the Industrial Research Institute Medal Achievement Award, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, and an induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
And despite having invented many other products and processes, Coover was nonetheless proud of his most famous invention, his widow Muriel stating shortly after his death:
“I think he got a kick out of being Mr. Super Glue. Who doesn’t love Super Glue?”
Nonetheless, Coover acknowledged the key role of luck in his discovery, stating in an interview:
