Metallurgist inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame

James A. Parsons Jr.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, is inducting James A. Parsons Jr., the creator of Durimet 20, posthumously on Oct. 26.

Durimet 20 is classified as a high-alloy austenitic stainless steel containing nickel and chromium with lesser percentages of molybdenum, copper, silicon, manganese, and carbon. Its composition is balanced to provide increased sulfuric acid resistance over conventional 18-8 (18% chromium and 8% nickel content) stainless steels while maintaining equal or superior resistance to many other important corrosives. Born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1900, Parsons earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., and got a job at Duriron as an analytical chemist. He worked on alloy compositions and metal processing methods, initially focusing on aluminum, bronze, and high-silicon castings. He then turned to the research and development of corrosion-resistant stainless steel alloys and high-silicon alloys.

In 1929, Parsons received the first of eight patents involving the development and application of noncorrosive metals and then began developing the steel formulation known as Durimet 20.

In 1935, Duriron produced the first commercial castings from Durimet 20. This alloy became the basis for a family of stainless steel alloys used extensively in all industries involving the handling of corrosives. In 1948, Duriron licensed Parsons’ Durimet 20 patents to Carpenter Steel, which introduced Carpenter 20 stainless steel, also called Alloy 20.

Parsons rose to become Duriron’s chief metallurgist and laboratory manager. After retiring in 1953, he organized the metallurgy program at Tennessee A&I State University (now Tennessee State University), believed to be the first of its kind at any historically Black college or university, and served as professor, department head, and dean of the engineering school during his tenure from 1953-66. He also taught at Ohio State University as an adjunct professor and served as an instructor at the Garfield Skills Center.