David Boháček

Otto Wichterle

• Prof. Ing. RTDr. Otto Wichterle, DrSc.

• He was born on 27 th October 1913 in Prostějov

• He was a famous world scientist and inventor

• was particularly known for his discoveries and inventions which lead to improvement worldwide expansion of contact lenses

• These results were based on his original scientific work in the field of hydrogels.

• He also discovered synthetic polyamide fiber – silon.

• He was the youngest child from ten children and did´t have many friends.

• When he was six years old, he nearly drowned in the pond of slurry.

• He studied at home and consequently, despite his young age (nine years) came to the State High School.

• Otto filed an aplication to the Faculty of Chemical Technology Engineering (ČVUT). And he was admitted to the college.

• Since 1940, he was employed at a research institute of Bata factory in Zlin, where he led a group dealing with research polyamides.

• After a series of complications related to secrecy before the German occupiers and then with the problems of post-war industry, the industrial production of polyamides bearing Nylon started for ten years.

• Since 1952 he started working on synthesis hydrophilic gel which reacts with water in order to find suitable material for ocular implants.

• He managed to prepare (HEMA) gel, which absorbs water to 40 percent, it had the appropriate mechanical properties and was transparent.

• In 1958 professor Wichterle was fired from school. And research of intraocular lenses were discarded.

• At Christmas 1961 he drew up with children's metal kits Merkur first prototype of the centrifugal casting equipment powered from a bicycle dynamo. On it he cast a very regular first four lenses to eye irritant.

• He was an author or coauthor of about 150 patents and over 200 publications, died on 18 August 1998 in the Strážisku v Prostějově.

• He had two sons - also chemists.