Michel Genas - Researcher at Organico

Organico is a subsidiary of Pechiney, which joined the SNPA group in 1963.

Inventor in 1938-40 of a process which, thanks to a derivative produced at the Saint-Menet factory in Marseille, produced Rilsan 11.

Director of a research team that worked on the development of a competing process for Rilsan 11, first at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, then at the Courtaboeuf research center, on the Orsay plateau, including he is the director.

Born July 3, 1908 in Lithuania. He studied at the National Institute of Chemistry in Strasbourg.

Enter Organico in 1929 as researcher in the field of plasticizers. In 1932 he was head of the Organico laboratory. When it was absorbed by Thann and Mulhouse, in 1934, he became Zeltner's collaborator with whom he created rilsan.

In 1939 he was mobilized, worked in a factory in his company in La Rochelle, then, after the armistice, in Salindres, where a Péchiney laboratory could welcome him and Zeltner. As early as 1942, the two researchers were able to obtain polyamide 11. In August 1942, Zeltner was deported and died. In 1944, Mr. Genas joined the maquis in Auvergne. In 1945-46, at the Serquigny plant, he obtained results: polyamide 11 can be obtained from castor oil.

In 1947, the Rare Earth Society and Péchiney created the new Organico company. Mr. Genas worked there, defended his thesis, then, first at the Museum, then at the Orsay research center, became interested in polyamide 12.

He died on January 19, 1969.