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			Samuel Smith Born Sep 13 1927 - Died Jan 6 2005 Block and Graft Copolymers Containing Water Solvatable Polar Groups and Fluoroaliphatic Groups Scotchgard (TM) Textile Proctector Patent No. 3,574,791 Inducted 2001 Chemist Patsy Sherman and colleague Sam Smith were working at 3M Company when they created Scotchgard™. Scotchgard went on to become one of the most widely used and valuable products in stain repellency and soil removal, eventually bringing in over $300 million annually for 3M. Sherman and Smith teamed up to develop the line of Scotchgard products after an accidental spill of a fluorochemical rubber intended for jet fuel hoses showed resistance to water and oily liquids. After the introduction in 1956 of a stain repellent treatment for wool, they later developed products designed for clothing, household linens, upholstery, and carpeting. Their research culminated in the late 1960s when they developed a product that both repelled stains and also permitted the removal of oily soils from synthetic fabrics, including the newly popular permanent press fabrics. Sherman and Smith jointly hold 13 patents in fluorochemical polymers and polymerization processes. Invention Impact Scotchgard is still used to protect fabric, furniture, and carpets from stains and everyday soiling. It is probably the most famous and widely used stain repellent and remover in America. Inventor Bio Born in New York City, Smith received a B.S. from City College of New York in 1948 and an M.S. from the University of Michigan in 1949. He joined 3M in 1951 and retired as a Corporate Scientist in 1992. He holds 30 U.S. patents and in 1988 won the American Chemical Society's Award for Creative Invention.