Since joining Air Products and Chemicals in 1993, Hegedus has held various research and development positions in the company’s Performance Chemicals Division. He is responsible for R&D involving polymers and other raw materials for coatings applications, particularly waterborne polyurethanes, epoxy curing agents and resins, and most recently polyvinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers.
Before joining Air Products and Chemicals, Hegedus held key R&D positions in the Aerospace Materials Division of the Naval Air Development Center, and led the center’s Protective Coatings Group for seven years. His major contributions to coatings technology included the development of UNICOAT, a self-priming topcoat for high-performance applications that did not contain chromated inhibitors. In 1988, Hegedus received the Naval Air Development Center’s Outstanding Science and Engineering Award.