<PAGE>


                                                                      EXHIBIT 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



      The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                                 /s/ William H. Binnie
                                                ------------------------------
                                                    William H. Binnie


<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


      The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                             /s/ Don H. Davis, Jr.
                                            ------------------------------
                                                 Don H. Davis, Jr.

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



      The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                       /s/ Christopher L. Doerr
                                      ------------------------------
                                           Christopher L. Doerr


<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



      The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                       /s/ Stephen R. Hardis
                                      ------------------------------
                                           Stephen R. Hardis


<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



      The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                        /s/ Frank H. Jellinek, Jr.
                                       ------------------------------
                                             Frank H. Jellinek

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



         The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                        /s/ William U. Parfet
                                       ------------------------------
                                            William U. Parfet

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



         The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                             /s/ Joe L. Roby
                                            ------------------------------
                                                 Joe L. Roby

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



      The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                     /s/ Richard W. Vieser
                                    ------------------------------
                                         Richard W. Vieser

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



         The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these
presents as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                         /s/ Kenneth F. Yontz
                                        ------------------------------
                                             Kenneth F. Yontz


<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


     The undersigned, a director of Apogent Technologies Inc., hereby
constitutes and appoints Michael K. Bresson and Jeffrey C. Leathe, or either of
them, his true and lawful attorneys and agents, each with full power and
authority to act as such without the other, to do any and all acts and things
and to execute any and all instruments which either one of said attorneys and
agents may deem necessary or advisable to enable said Corporation to comply with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), as amended; and including
specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, full power and authority
to each of said attorneys and agents to sign the name of the undersigned to the
Form 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2001, and any
amendment(s) thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and delivered these presents
as of the 7th day of December 2001.




                                             /s/ R. Jeffrey Harris
                                             ---------------------
                                             R. Jeffrey Harris