September, 1924
INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
971
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARIES idea being that the adjective “artificial” gave an impression that the material aualified by it must be inferior to the natural product. N A lecture delivered many years ago Dr. Edward G. Acheson This perhaps is true; but it is interesting to note that all Dr. specified what his experience had taught him were eight im- Acheson’s work had for its object the production of materials portant qualities required by a successful discoverer and in- having qualities that are not to be found in the substances obventor, which, in somewhat condensed form, are as follows: (1) op- tained from natural sources. His creation of the carborundum industry represented pioneer work in the tirnism, ( 2 ) imagination, (3) observation, field of artificial materials which have rev(4) appreciation of the possible value of olutionized the abrasive industry; his the new, ( 5 ) knowledge of the existing art, experiments on siloxicon were for the (6) self-reliance, (7) determination, and (8) purpose of producing an artificial refracperseverance. tory superior to natural products; his This list of qualities is worthy of the “Egyptianizing” process was developed study which should be given to what is for the purpose of artificially producing in doubtless a self-analysis of one whose disrefractory clays a higher plasticity than coveries and inventions during a third of was found in the natural product; his ina century have had a marked effect, both ventions in the manufacture of graphite directly and indirectly, on a number of led to a successful industry because he manufacturing processes. From the time could produce artificially a substance havwhen he was a boy Dr. Acheson has been ing qualities superior for many purposes a keen experimenter, and his talent in that to the natural product. In short, his field was early recognized by Edison, who success is largely due to an intuitive regave him some extremely difficult probalization of the possibility of improving lems to work out in the construction of on natural products which people had the incandescent electric lamp. Not only been content to use for years. was his ability as an experimenter recThe extension of the use of graphite as ognized, but also his skill as a construcproduced in the electric furnace and tion engineer, for Edison engaged him to manufactured by processes he has input in some of his electric light plants in vented is still his principal interest, and various places in Europe. there can be no doubt that his gratificaAfter leaving Mr. Edison’s employ, Dr. EDWARD GOODRICH ACHE~ON tion in these developments is great-as. Acheson turned again to his exuerimental work, and the commercial development of his imporfor example, in the recent war, when the use of his graphite in tant discovery of carborundum called for the exhibition of all small arms so greatly increased the efficiency of the rifles with the eight qualities which he specifies as necessary for ultimate which the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Force were success. It was imagination that led to his experiments; keen armed. observation and appreciation of the value of the new thing One of Dr. Acheson’s most cherished possessions is a “grandthat made him follow up the results he obtained; a knowledge father’s clock, ’’ which formerly belonged to Michael Faraday and of the art which directed the manufacturing processes he de- which he obtained under peculiar circumstances. In 1883, after veloped, and an extraordinary combination of optimism, self- completing his work for Edison, installing electric light plants in reliance, determination, and perseverance which overcame the Europe, he was taken seriously ill in London, but fortunately innumerable difficulties facing the creation of the new industry happened to meet there a Mr. James Holloway, formerly a maof artificial abrasives which have so profoundly modified a great chinist in Edison’s employ a t Menlo Park, who took good care of number of manufacturing methods. him till he could return to America. Eleven years later, when he It was during the building-up of the carborundum industry that went to Europe to dispose of some of his European patents for carborundum, he went to London and after a long search found Dr. Acheson carried on experimental work in the manufacture Halloway in poor health and straitened circumstances and was of artificial graphite, although his discovery of the method subable to give him some assistance. It was while visiting Mr. sequently used in its production was made almost simultaneHalloway on this occasion that he saw in his house the Faraday ously with the discovery of carborundum. This experimental work led to the creation of the artificial graphite industry and its clock which belonged to Mrs. Halloway and which she afterwards development illustrates Berthelot’s aphorism, “La chimie crCe presented to him. Perhaps something in the early history of Faraday’s career l’objet de ses Ctudes,” for problems which arose and observations made in the course of this work led to further experiments in excited Dr. Acheson’s sympathy, for he also is an interesting the manufacture of a new refractory which he called “Siloxicon,” example of one who has made a name for himself in technical achievements without the advantages of that formal education and in the artificial production of plastic clays. It was during which is usually considered a requisite. At the age of sixteen, research work on the latter that, acting on a hint contained in with but three years’ schooling in Belfonte Academy in PennsylExodus, chapter 5, verses 7 to 19, he invented “Egyptianized vania, he was thrown altogether on his own resources and thereclay,” which established certain principles that a few years after had to earn his own living and incidentally to undertake his later he applied to the production of a new form of lubricating own technical education. Possibly his belief that this was graphite. actually one of the causes of his success is sound; but the doctrine I n a lecture delivered several years ago describing his method would be a dangerous one to inculcate generally. of manufacturing graphite, Dr. Acheson gave reason for objecting to the description of his product as “artificial” graphite, his F. A. J. FITZGGRALD
Edward Goodrich Acheson
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