Roy J. Plunkett (1910-1994) was the discoverer of Teflon in 1938 while working as a chemist at the DuPont Company.

Plunkett was born in New Carlisle, Ohio, on June 26, 1910. He received his doctorate from Ohio State in 1936, and began work in 1937 at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company's Jackson Laboratory (Organic Chemicals Department), where he was assigned to a refrigerant research project. In 1938, this work led to the entirely unexpected discovery of a fluorocarbon polymer, polytetrafluoroethylene, which DuPont later trademarked as "Teflon." The new material was unaffected by most acids and corrosive chemicals. It also remained solid and stable at temperatures much higher than any other plastic. Commercial development of Teflon was carried out on a crash basis because the polymer was needed in several areas that were important to the World War II effort, particularly in the Manhattan Project. By 1949, the DuPont Company was producing 1 million pounds of Teflon a year. However, because of technical difficulties, production proceeded slowly until the mid-1950s. Although Teflon had numerous applications, it became best known as a nonstick coating for cookware.

Plunkett died in Corpus Christi, Texas, on May 12, 1994.