Obituary of John H. Sinfelt

Dr. John Henry Sinfelt John H. Sinfelt, 80, of Tewksbury, New Jersey died May 28, 2011 following a long illness. Dr. Sinfelt was born February 18, 1931 in Munson, Pennsylvania, a son of Henry and June (McDonald) Sinfelt. He is survived by his wife, the former Muriel Vadersen, at home, and son Dr. Klaus H. Sinfelt and his wife Sara Isaacs of New York City, as well as a brother Dr. Frederick W. Seinfelt and his wifeLaura of Indiana, Pennsylvania, a nephew Mark Seinfelt, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, and a niece Bronwen. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Norma June Sinfelt. As a child, Dr. Sinfelt attended a two-room school house, twenty-five miles away from Pennsylvania State University, which he later attended, majoring in chemical engineering, graduating in 1951. He subsequently obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Illinois and in 1954 started his groundbreaking research at Standard Oil (now ExxonMobil Research and Engineering) on improving platinumcatalysts. He was still affiliated with the company at the time of his death as Senior Scientific Advisor Emeritus. Much of Dr. Sinfelt's pioneering research on bimetallic catalysiswas concerned with developing the concept of highly dispersed cluster catalysts and with the application of this concept in the catalytic reforming of petroleum fractions. Sinfelt invented a superior platinum-iridium catalyst that was crucial to the development of high-octane lead-free gasoline,an accomplishment for which he was awarded the United States National Medal of Science.His work also provided a scientific base for other processes to produce petrochemicals in high volume. In addition to eliminating the hazard of lead in gasoline, Sinfelt's work enabled the development and application of multi-metallic catalysts for the exhaust systems of automobiles to decrease the emissions of pollutants such as carbonmonoxide, unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Sinfelt was the author of over eighty technical papers and the book "Bimetallic Catalysts:Discoveries, Concepts, and Applications," the first title in the Exxon Monograph program. He was the holder of forty-two U.S. patents. Hisclassic research provided the foundation for many important industrial advances. For his accomplishments in catalysis, Dr. Sinfelt received numerous awards, including: American Institute of Chemists Gold Medal (1984); Society of Chemical Industry Perkin Medal (1984); American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award (1981); American Physical Society International Prize for New Materials (1978); and the aforementioned President of the United State's National Medal of Science (1979). He was elected to the American Philosophical Society and was also the recipient of the Penn State College of Engineering Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award.Dr. Sinfelt was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 4-8 pm at the bailey Funeral Home, 176 Main St., Peapack. A funeral service will be held at 7pm in the funeral home. Interment will be in Allport Cemetery, Allport PA.