ARTHUR SIMON RALPH E. OESPER University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
AMONG the multifarious forms of
chemical literature the abstract journals are probably the most useful. Their value is high with respect to both the current and older literature. The post of editor of one of the standard ahstract journals carries much responsibility, and few men possess the peculiar combination of technical competence and administrative ability necessary for the successful publication of one of these important aids to the chemist. Arthur Simon edited the Chemisches Zentralblatt from 1945 to 1949, which indicates the caliber of this eminent German chemist, teacher, and writer. (Johann Peter Caspar) Arthur Simon was horn on February 25, 1893, a t Barmen in the Wuppertal. He was trained under Baeyer at Munich and then under Windaus and Tammann a t Gottingen, where he took his doctorate under Zsigmondy in 1920. After serving for a number of years as assistant to Wilke-Dorfiirt a t the Bergakademie in Clausthal, Dr. Simon habilitated as Privatdozent a t Stuttgart in 1927, where he was named extraordinary professor in 1929. In 1932 he went to the Technische Hochschule in Dresden as successor to Fritz Foerster. At present he is ordinary professor and director of the Institut fiir anorganische und anorganisch-technische Chemie a t this school, whose faculty has always had an excellent reputation. His scientific output has covered a wide range. He began with a systematic study of the theory of affinity and dealt particularly with complex systems, oxides, and oxyhydrates. The use of the latter as catalysts or as their carriers led to a series of investigations on heterogeneous catalysis (catalysts for the preparation of motor fuels) and homogeneous catalysis (cell respiration, activity of spring waters, "active"iron). Special equipment was developed for tensieudiometric studies. The various types of the SimouMiiller furnaces of the Staatliche Porzellanmanufaktur and the Simon cryostat and the Simon temperature regulator also demonstrate his abilities along instrumental lines. The work on the automatic cryostats was laureated with the Alexander Guthier prize in 1929. Parallel with these studies went investigations of the efflorescenceson ceramic materials and frescoes. They led to methods of making these defects harmless or of preventing their appearance, an important factor in the preservation and protection of monuments and art ohjects (e, g., the Schwind frescoes in the Wartburg). The clarification of the causes of catalytic actions was carried out with the aid of the most modern methods, such as magnetochemical and Ramau spectroscopic examinations. The theory of the skeleton-like oxidic
catalyzers was developed. The general use, particularly of spectroscopic methods, led, especially through the use of heavy water, to the elucidation of the constitution of anhydrous acids, to the determination of structure in sulfur chemistry, hydrogen peroxide, and eventually of artificial materials. Insight was gained into the reaction between solvent and solute in solution systems. A projector was devised for the measurement of weak lines and a spherical cell for the photographing of solids by the Raman spectroscopic method. Special note should he made of the studies on biologically active iron and cobalt (against anemias) and the activity of spring waters, also of the researches dealmg with homogeneous catalysis and the solid phases nudergoing transformation as highly active intermediate phases in catalysis. In order to free the aluminum industry from reliance on bauxite, processes were developed to utilize German waste clays, which had no value for refractories. Patents were granted for these processes and the methods found practical application. In this connection, mention should be made of the studies of electrolyte condensers, which led to a diffusion theory. There followed investigations of the oxide catalysts of the 8th, k t , Znd, and 3rd group of the periodic system, which are applicable for the removal of sulfur from coke-oven and illuminating gases and also for the catalytic combustion of carbon monoxide and hydrocyanic acid. Hence they were used in the German gas masks and eventually served in the manufacture of motor fuels. In the field of metallurgy Professor Simon has concerned himself primarily with the problems related to the smeltine of zinc. His researches have led to Drocesses that prevent the formation of zinc ferrite, or that make it reducible in the muffle or extractable with alkali in the wet process. During this period he also made special studies of the absorption of carbon dioxide in non-alkaline media. I n the metallurgy of silver, he showed that hydrogen peroxide is formed as an intermediate when the ores are extracted with cyanide. Other studies dealt with corrosion in sulfuric acid systems. Many other investigations stemmed from his study of filtering phenomena. Recently, in addition to studies of catalysis in the solid state, he has been particularly concerned with Raman spectroscopy, studies that have resulted in the development of intense sext,upleburners and the semiautomatization of the Raman spectroscopic procedure. He has worked out quantitative Raman spectroscopic procedures for the determination of insecticides (gammexane) and has advanced
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the investigation of constitution of artificial materials. Among his studies in applied chemistry, emphasis can be placed on his studies of wood impregnation from oil phases and the fixing of sodium pentachlorophenolate in wood through bisulfite. He has worked out a number of streak procedures for determining chromic salts in wood in the presence of chromate, arsenate, and fluoride. He has improved the ferromagnetic carrier of the magnetic recording tape and has prepared gamma ferric oxide, which has a smaller copying effect. Special mention should be made here of his procedure for determining the primary particle size, lattice defects, and faulty arrangements of ferromagnetics using X-rays. These and many more researches have been recorded in about 150 papers. He has published
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION monographs on tin, the Raman effect, and the constitution of the phosphorus acids. He collaborated in the Fehling "Handworterbuch" and the Jahrbuch of the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure. He has refused calls to Prague (1929), Graz (1931), Halle (1946), and Leipzig (1947). He is a member of the Academy of Sciences of Saxony, and in 1948 v a s invited to become a member of the governing board of the Deutsches Museum in Munich. In 1951 he mas invited to deliver lectures on his special fields in Stockholm by the Academy of the Engineering Sciences. As stated above, he edited the Chemisches Zentralblatt from 1945 to 1919. Full of original ideas and resourceful in translating them into research studies or putting them into technological practice, he is a credit to his profession.
