James A. Parsons Jr. (1900–1989) was a pioneering metallurgist and inventor renowned for developing Durimet 20, also known as Alloy 20, a corrosion-resistant stainless steel alloy. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Parsons earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1922. He began his career at the Duriron Company, where he focused on creating noncorrosive metals. In 1935, he introduced Durimet 20, an alloy that remains widely used in industries such as petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and food processing.
Throughout his career, Parsons secured eight patents related to metal alloys and later contributed to academia by establishing a metallurgy program at Tennessee A&I State University. His significant contributions led to his posthumous induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2023
