Father of aromatic chemistry. Realized four-valent carbon and structure of benzene ring. Predicted isomeric substitutions (ortho-, meta-, para-).
Nobel, Alfred (1833-1896)
Invented dynamite, smokeless powder, and blasting gelatin. Established international awards for achievements in chemistry, physics, and medicine (Nobel Prize).
Mendeléev, Dmitri (1834-1907)
Discovered periodicity of the elements. Compiled the first Periodic Table with elements arranged into 7 groups (1869).
Hyatt, J.W. (1837-1920)
Invented the plastic Celluloid (nitrocellulose modified using camphor)(1869).
Perkin, Sir W.H. (1838-1907)
Synthesized first organic dye (mauveine, 1856) and first synthetic perfume (coumarin).
Beilstein, F.K. (1838-1906)
Compiled Handbuchder organischen Chemie, a compendium of the properties and reactions of organics.
Gibbs, Josiah W. (1839-1903)
Stated three principal laws of thermodynamics. Described the nature of entropy and established a relation between chemical, electric, and thermal energy.
Chardonnet, H. (1839-1924)
Produced a synthetic fiber (nitrocellulose).
Joule, James (1843)
Experimentally demonstrated that heat is a form of energy.
Boltzmann, L. (1844-1906)
Developed kinetic theory of gases. Viscosity and diffusion properties are summarized in Boltzmann’s Law.
Roentgen, W.K. (1845-1923)
Discovered x-radiation (1895). Nobel Prize in 1901.
Lord Kelvin (1838)
Described the absolute zero point of temperature.
Joule, James (1849)
Published results from experiments showing that heat is a form of energy.
Le Chatelier, H.L. (1850-1936)
Fundamental research on equilibrium reactions (Le Chatelier’s Law), combustion of gases, and iron and steel metallurgy.
Becquerel, H. (1851-1908)
Discovered radioactivity of uranium (1896) and deflection of electrons by magnetic fields and gamma rays. Nobel Prize in 1903 (with the Curies).
Moisson, H. (1852-1907)
Developed electric furnace for making carbides and purifying metals. Isolated fluorine (1886). Nobel Prize in 1906.
Fischer, Emil (1852-1919)
Studied sugars, purines, ammonia, uric acid, enzymes, nitric acid. Pioneer research in sterochemistry. Nobel Prize in 1902.
Thomson, Sir J.J. (1856-1940)
Research on cathode rays proved existence of electrons (1896). Nobel Prize in 1906.
Plucker, J. (1859)
Built one of the first gas discharge tubes (cathode ray tubes).
Maxwell, James Clerk (1859)
Described the mathematical distribution of the velocities of molecules of a gas.
Arrhenius, Svante (1859-1927)
Researched rates of reaction versus temperature (Arrhenius equation) and electrolytic dissociation. Nobel Prize in 1903.
Hall, Charles Martin (1863-1914)
Invented method of manufacturing aluminium by the electrochemical reduction of alumina. Parallel discovery by Heroult in France.
Baekeland, Leo H. (1863-1944)
Invented phenolformaldehyde plastic (1907). Bakelite was the first completely synthetic resin.
Nernst, Walther Hermann (1864-1941)
Nobel Prize in 1920 for work in thermochemistry. Performed basic research in electrochemistry and thermodynamics.
Werner, A. (1866-1919)
Introduced concept of coordination theory of valence (complex chemistry). Nobel Prize in 1913.
Curie, Marie (1867-1934)
With Pierre Curie, discovered and isolated radium and polonium (1898). Studied radioactivity of uranium. Nobel Prize in 1903 (with Becquerel) in physics; in chemistry 1911.
Haber, F. (1868-1924)
Synthesized ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen, the first industrial fixation of atmospheric nitrogen (the process was further developed by Bosch). Nobel Prize 1918.
Lord Kelvin (1874)
Stated the second law of thermodynamics.
Rutherford, Sir Ernest (1871-1937)
Discovered that uranium radiation is composed of positively charged 'alpha' particles and negatively charged 'beta' particles (1989/1899). First to prove radioactive decay of heavy elements and to perform a transmutation reaction (1919). Discovered half-life of radioactive elements. Established that the nucleus was small, dense, and positively charged. Assumed that electrons were outside the nucleus.
Nobel Prize in 1908.
