Dieter Freitag, who helped develop the materials that made the CD possible, has died at the age of 74.
Freitag served as the head of research for Bayer AG's plastics business group and head of materials research for Bayer.
“[His] research resulted in breakthroughs that made possible many of the modern applications we take for granted today,” said Markus Steilemann, head of the polycarbonates business unit and a member of Bayer MaterialScience's executive committee in a May 8 announcement from Bayer. “He was a driving force in the development of the plastics industry.”
Freitag joined Bayer in 1967 and for more than 30 years oversaw research and development of its polymer technologies.
His work was instrumental in development of the PC used in CDs and multiwall plastic sheets used in greenhouses around the world. Freitag developed a specialty PC used in automotive lighting and medical equipment.
After leaving Bayer in 2001, Freitag was the chief technology officer for Triton Systems.
He was named to the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2006 as well as receiving honors from plastics organizations in Germany, Austria, Russia and Italy.
