vilrtor Gvfimann Institute of lnorgonic Chemistty Technical University of Vienno Vienno, Austria
I
More Light A short historical sketch of Carl Auer von Welsbach
Vicnnn's Rirlgsfrasn~ is well known. von Rnnwn. Runscn reco~nirrclvery soon irncl :qqmci:ltrcI thc scientific e;~p:~hiliti~.s of the A u s t r i : ~s t~~~l d w t . I t wns built on the site of the old city \vnlls mom thnn nnd :dI~~~vrcl his :dmi&m to t h r l1h1> ilrgrw it1 Ilri100 yenrs ngo, whrn Vicnnn xvns thc capitrll of the t of :r th~.sis,:IS "thr tlrllwrg in 1Ss" w i t h n ~ ~s~~hmission hustro-Hung:~rinn Kmpirr. In the Rirrgxlranse nren scicwtitic cnp:~hilitirsof t h young ~ mnn wrrr hryonfl ynu will fincl m:\ny monuments to grnrr:~ls,politicinns. :my clouht nnd not requiring furthrr writtrn prnof." i d :wtists, to composrm like .Iohnnn Strauss, i:r;\nr T h r young doctor rcturnrd to Virnnn :IIKI s t n r t d Schuhcrt, : w l \f'nlfg:~ng .4m:~drus .\loz:wt nnd to his c a m r :IS Pri?nf!l~l~I:rfrr: ~ n dnot :IS :In nssist:~nt.in ~ m e t ssuch ns 1~'r:rnz (:rillp:irzcr, Johnnn \\'olfgnng rrsr:~rch. He hirrd n hrnch in one of 11dolf 1,irhrn's (:orthe, nncl Frinlrich Schillrr. Ho\vcver, the srienlists (who enjoyed :I mom quiet life) :ire not shown I:~lw~ratorirsof the University of Virnnn. 111 l S S 5 when he \vns twrnfy-srvcn yr:m old, I I hncl ~ his first. t o the puhlic in the snmr w ~ y . Thrir mom mndcst nncl m l l y outst:~nclingwlcccss hy isnlnting RIICI ch:rrmoi~omrntswere placrcl in thc remote nrcndcs of the l nctrriring two nc\v rlrnwnts. H r : ~ t t r m p t n to.wpnr:ltc Univrrsit.y of \'in~n:t. Them you will find :I st:~tucof lnnthnnum from diclymium (which mr:tns fhr fwitr, es G r c p r .\Irndrl, discovrrcr of the hereclilnry 1:1\vs, of 1111 p r w i ~ ntlrmpls ~~s to remove it from I:~nthnnr~m h:~l I.udwig 13oltsm:11111,founclcr of stntisticnl mechnnics, \vhn st:wted :IS :I professor of mnthrmatics at the :~gc f:~ilrd). S o t only. \v:w h u r r ahlr to :trhicvr this nf 21, of J w r f l.uschmiclt, foundcr of molrculnr physics, srp:~r:~tion, hut. :~lsnto sl~o\vin turn that clidyniium WIS itsrlf n re:d t\vin nnd consistnl of two c h n c n t s , : u d of 1;ritz I1:1scnuhrl. who st:ited t h r equiv:rlrncr of nnc of \vhich hr named pranrnrl!/rnirm :tnd t h r othrr m:rss nnd cnrrKv '20 yrnrs iwforc i4nstri11, of the Austrien S o h d Priac r r : g ~ ~ r - I : ~ ~ r cwho g g , i r n l m i ~ n : . T h e nr\v srp:w:~tion prncrclurr \vhich hc ~ ~t11r ~ nmcliseovrml thv eflcctivcnrss of shock thrr:~py e g n i ~ ~ e t ~rpplinlw ; ~ q the fr:iction:~l c r y s t : ~ l l i m t i fof mnniwn clouhlr nit.r:~trs in roncmtr:~tnl nitric :cid mcntsl disc:~sc, nnd of Sigmund I2rrud, the foondrr of snlutio~~. tllc psycl~f~:~n:~lytic school. In t h r same yc:w he wis ahlr slso to :11111or1ncethe In front of the 6nivrrsity Chrmicnl I A o r : ~ t o r y of clwrlol)mc~~t of the Can~liihlirlrf (gns glow-light). I I ~ thc Univrrsity of \'ienn:~ :I monumcnt hhv hcrn cwclrcl npplying t h r i~~c:inclrscrncr principlr. T h e misture of tn nn hustri:~nchemist \vho m ~ d chistory hy scvrr:d very mmerk:~hlc discovrrirs :in11 i ~ ~ \ w ~ t . i o nC:rrI s: zirccn~iumoxiclc : ~ n dl:~r:lh:~num vxidf. wllirh a.:~shr:~InI in t h r g:w fl:~mrg:wr more light t11:111 : ~ n yothrr nxiclr Aurr V ~ I \\'rlsh:rch. I IIc cliscovrrcd n n ~ ch:~Ti~cl~riz(~I l I I s t . 'SIw hright thrrc nrw rlrmrnts; h r invrntrcl the i~~csnclrscrnt g:is i t r which I : I n I P~ 111 st:~rt :I light (which IISIIP~NI in the g:islight crii we crlr~hrnt~.); light \vns :I surecsss rind P I I C O ~ I T R ~ him f:~rtnryin Atzgrwlorf, :I SIIIIII~J) r t f \'~cII:I:~. whrrr hc nwl h r i ~ ~ v c n t rthe d 0sr:rm drctric lnmp and I l ~ rpyrrmtinurd lo srpnr:Itr the r:irc-r:wth mrt:d rompouncls rophoric metal which sp:~rlts rvrry cig:vrttr lightvr. on :I lnrgr smile. : u d !vhcre hr m:~nuf:irlurc.cl 1111. IIIW Tlw i~~scription on his m o ~ ~ n m m snys: t "1'111s 1.11ris"l o r l i g h t . In w r y many \wys he g:wc us more inesnclrscent g:~slight. A wll-known Austri:~nchrmist. Imlwig Rxit i n ~ c rhcc:~mr , clirf*etorof this cornp:lny. light. After this h f ~ ~ w fiwgi111:ing ul v:~rinusflis:~flv:~~~t:igrs of h ~ r vnn r \\'rlsh:~ch \v.lr horn aetu:~lly two months TIIVmost wrinus the nr\v g : ~ light . I x c : u n ~:~pp:irrnl. ~ hrforc his schcdul~~clI i r t h l : ~ , sincc his mnthrrohjrctinns \ w r v rniwl hy t h r I:ulirs, who c m ~ p l : ~ i t i r ~ l ns m:~ny Austri:~~~s-coulflnot rrsist mount:iinrrring :ihouI. t h r cnld ~ r c r nlight !vhieh c11t1ngnl tlw c d o r of nncl climhrcl thr. 7000-lnnl high Srl~rtrrbrry nr:w their ft~ccs"to thrir dis:ulv:~r~t:~gr."'Shr f:wtnry ~ I I \'irnn:I i l l the wvrnth month of pn~gnnllc,v. 'hyflllllg Atzgcmdorf hncl to h r cl~~srcl in l S S ! ) , only t\vo yenrs C':lrl :rpp:~wntly prrfrrml to hecome i n d e p r ~ d r n tnnd n f t w it \ Y B ~f n ~ ~ n d n l . t o ?;re t h r hr:u~tiful\vorlcl \vithnut nny furthcr clel:ry. Only one yr:w hlrr Aurr \\.:IS i ~ ~ f o r m by n l his former This \\.:IS on t h r first o l Srptemhrr, 1S.iS. d i m t o r 11:1iti11grr th:it :&bright,light :~lsn\vns prnd~~rrcl T w u t y ye:rrs intrr, in l S 5 8 , Aurr \vns n studrnt of m hy :L lmdy r o n s i r t i ~ ~ofp :I mistun* of : ~ l u m i m ~ osidr chemistry :I! t h r i7nivrmity o f Virnnn under I'rofrxwr nnd chn,mium nxide. Auvr :~drlrcl thrrrium osirlv o f i r t r n H r movrcl to Iiridrlhcrg in 1AM to (which \%I*:tv:til:~Irlrin qu:tt:tity ;:I A t z ~ r r 4 1 r fto ) lhi3 study undrr the \vorId-f:~mousclwmist llnhrrt \\'ilhrlm oxi(lv misturr. :u:cl ohsrrvnl t h r furt11f.r imprnvmmrl~t in the hrightnras of t h r light. His :it.trmpts t n use thorium m i d r nf higllrr purity wrrr not r r ~ c ~ n l d , try nt tbc Antrrirnl~Chcmicxl &,ricly .\leetil~gi t , \lineenpfdir. ho~wvcr. I l r ol~..m.cvl th:tt with ir:crr:~si~tgp11rity of April, l!lli!l. Volume 47, Number 3, March 1970 / 209
thorium oxiclc t h r light. hrcnmr considcrnhly renkrr. t,hnt. is now known t o Iw n seritnis mistnkr. At thnt time, most of t h r metnls hnrl not hwn prrpnrccl in n H r soon discovrrivl thnt t h r prrsrncr of :in impurity, mninly crrium oxiclr. \v:w :in ewrntinl condition for pnrr stntr, nncl thrir mrlting points were not known the rnmissinn of n hripht light hy t.l~oriumoxiclr lmdira. with nny drgrrc of nccnrnry. It \vns typicnl of h w r As :i rrsult of this s t n ~ l y :I, misturr consistit~gof !)!I?& not to Iw rntirrly hnppy nhout t h r sneers- of his gnr light,, nnd to stnrt cxprrimrnts t o improvc t h r rlrctrie thorinm oxiclc nncl lr; crrium oxiclr a n s founcl to hc i l l . \\'hen n skrlrton of silk wns imprrgnnted I m p . T h e osmium lnmp 1ws superior to the cnrhonthrrnd lnmp, for the enrhon lnmp rrquiwlR.5 w for nnc with this mixtnrr nncl h c ~ e t hy ~ l :In intcrnnl gns flnmr, cnncllcporvrr, whilr t h r osmium Ixmp rrquirrcl only it 1)wrmr t b r \\'clshnch gnu-mnntlr sn fnmilinr to our grnnclf:~thcr.;. I~ncnnrnged hy this knowlrdgr, he I..; \v. Ilowevrr, the lifctimr of t.ho osmium Inmp wns rroprnrd t h r factory in LS!)l, xnd it \vaq soon ton smnll not, very long. \\'hrn his osmium Inmp tvns Intrr rrplncrrl hy t h r tnntnlum nncl tunp*trn 1:tmps. .Awr r c tn nlrrt t h r slr:rrl~ly-incre~si~~g tlrmnnds. T h r only.dis:~~lv:intngr of t h r nrw light w.ls t h a t the m:rrked thnt he hnrl cnnsiclerwl many othrr mrtnls mnntlr W:IS lrrittlr nnd wns linhlr to ccick u ~ n l r rvinpnrt. frnm osmioni. \ ~ u t hncl ovrrlook~~tl t~in~trn. This clrprived him from nny Inrgr fin:~ncinlxuccrs.; with h t i . \\'hrn s ~ t e hlights wrrc installrd nt t h r Imprrinl Court in \'icw~:i t h r 15mpernr is snid t o hnve his clrctric lnmp. He rrmnincd nctirr in mnny othrr lirldr, ho\vevrr. rxprrswd his hope thnt the nrw light, might survive the .At. thnt, time it hnd k n suspectwl that yttrrhium i~ppronchof his f:ivoritr militnry h:~ncl! eonsistrd of two rlcmrnts. In l!O5, Anrr tlrscrihrd the I t mny nlm he of interest to mention how Auer ohtninrd his rnw materink. Ceritr nnd ytterite n'ere coursr of his experimrnts in the fic4d of rnrr-mrlh importr~lf m m Swwlrn. A minrrnl tlcnlrr in S e w York. metals, in which he lvns nhlc t o show thnt whnt 1vnn nnmrd Gortlon, drew Auer's nttrntion to n hmvy snnd known a u yttcrhium is indeal comlmwl of two rlemcnta In l!m h r drscrihrd t h r prrpnrntion of anh.;tnners which he h:ul ohscwnl in the gold wn?hings of South (:rclin:. :\wr ho~tghtn ton of t h r Cnrolin:l snnel BIWI which he hnrl nl,tnincd by repented frnctionnl crystalfrom i t he wns nhlc to proclucc Innthnnum, whilc lirntion of ytterbium snlts. He photogrnphnl the sprctrn nnd concln~lrtlthat there were :wtunlly two Hnitinger WILY nhlc nlso to scpnrntc thorium from this :ncI. (:onion's hmther \vns it coflee clrnler in Snntos, elemcut.s present. Ile npglectcd to sugepst names nnel :ind frnm him i\urr ohtninnl one clny n snmple of n to inclicntr their ntomic wrights, nlthongh hc hncl mndc I1r:n.y yellow snnd fmm the const of Ilmril. This wns the first cleterminntion of thc ntomic \vcight in Octohrr of I!O% His eonclucling pnlwr, d ~ m i t t n lto the the so-cnllnl mon:izite snnd, which soon hecnmc the rnw m:ttrrinl lor the gas-mnntle industry. At thnt time l\ustri:~n.Academy of Srirnce t\vn-nnd-:I-hnlf ymrs Inter, frright 1vas trnnsportcrl hy wiling vessrls ncross the nnmrly on l)ecen~herI!). 1!W. npprnred 44 days lntrr Atl:lntic Ocrnn to Sonth hmerica, nncl many of t h w c thnn :I pnpcr hy ITrhnin, n 1:rench chrmist. who nnnounced the cli~eovrryof n ne1v rrlrmnt whirh he cnllrrl vr.;.els hnrl t o return t o I h r o p c Inncled with snnd ns lutrtium, whilc for.thr rcmnining lmrtion of the yttrrh:~ll:~st. ,\urr is snicl to hnvc i~crsundwlone of the snilhium he soggrstecl the nnmr neoyttrrhium. Although ing rnmp:u~irsto land monnnitr srusl instend of worth1r.q~ silirn. rind so nmnnrite 1v:is t n n s 1 1 o r t ~to I Hnmhurg. Aucr in his ~ ~ r c v i o ureports s hnel n m ~ o u n r n lt h r forthcoming description in more clrtnil, I:rhain rritirired I I I this w:~y the rnw mntrrinl was mtulc nvnilnhlr to him for lnck of detnils. Urhnin's ntomir w i g h t . howr r . T h e govrrnment of llrnnil soon heennir aware of the v:dur of its snnrl, and Aurr nfter!vnrd hnd to pny ever, WIL- f a r from nccumte. l'hr polrmics with rrknrd t o t h r priority of t h r eonaiclernl~lcsmounts of money for it. discoven of rlrmcnt 71 (which Aurr suggrstml he enllrd T h r nr1v Iidlt wns :in instnnt sneersr. In S o v r m h r r c n s m p r u m ) wns hmllghl to t h r forum of t h r Intrrof lS!ll the. lirst ,\nrr lights 1vrrr in.;t:ill~lnt the Oprrn nntinnnl Atomic \\'rights Commissicm in 1 of Cnfr in Yirnn:~.nncl otlr ycnr Intrr 10,IWX) Inmps wrrr lighting t h r rity. 111 April, lS9:L 4:LWU) lnmps were vhich, howrvrr, Vrhnin lvns onr of the mrmhrrs. Without rrmrding t h r previous pnprrs by Aurr, the ~ w ~ l u r r c lT. h r :\urr enml)nny pnirl :I dirirlrncl of l:W;>in lS!IX. ('nmmis&n conch~dnlthnt t h r pilprr hy h ~ v in r 1007 wes puhlishrcl nftc-r the one hy I.rhnin. Thrrrforr I t rrnlly \ n ~ r s ~ ~ r p r i s(nndclrfinitrlysho~v~l ing thrhigh llrhnin WIS givrn priority nnd the nnmr of Iutrtium tIu:tlity of the inc:~ndrsrrntgns Innip) thnt, this snccrss wns necrptrcl. It w i n rviclrnt. thnt Aurr'r cnssrn~wun\ 1vns m s i h l in romprtition wit11 t h r n v rlrctric \vns in a much h i g h state of purity thnn I7rl):rin's inrnn~lr.;rrnt I n n ~ pof Kdison. Edisnn's first p1ntinnn1lutetium. I*:lrvrn yrnrs Intrr, Costrr nncl von H r v c y i r I n h : I clis:Iv:ntngr t h : ~ t h r plntinr~mwire cliscovrml t h r rlrmrnt hnfnium, nnd Vrhnin sugflstwl m r l t r ~ lton rnsily. l,Xison triwl t o ove'rconie~t.l~istlifit i t this 1ws idcntienl with t h r rlrmrnt. "crltinm." cnlty hy co:~tingt h r plntinuni wirr with :I rrfrnctory nxidr snch :w c ~ l r i u noxidr, ~ mngnrsin, or rirconi~~m which hr clnimcd to hnvr rliseovrrrrl, nnrl w hv a d 4 for the priority of the c l i s c r ~ v r ~ .Vurthcr invrstio s i ~ l ro, r rvrn with c n r l m ~ ~ .fIn\v(wr, nll of thrsr hnvr gntions hy other rcsrnrcl~rrs sho!vrd. ho!vrver, that cliflrrcnt, npnnsion cortlicirntx from the mrtnl. nnd I'rhnin's "ccltium" was nothing hut highly purified t11rrc.lorr lvrrcbc ~ s i l yrrmnvnl from the m r t d snrfnrr. h ~ t r t i u m , or in othrr ~vorcls. A n ' s "rnrswprum." 1 t r n n s t r u r t o I that, time. ICdiwn finnlly switrhrd o r r r to t h r enrlmn-threncl Inmp, which RIThus, n f t w Aurr hncl mndr t h r purr d r m r n t , V r h i n nn~~ouncrel four yrnr* Inter nnot her rlemrnt,, which !vnP though it wnr :I consid~~rnhlr succrss. 1ws no srrions cnmprtitor 111 Aurr's g : light ~ lwc:n~srtlw lnt.trr wbq i d r ~ ~ t i c with n l Aurr's purified rlrmrnt. 'I'hr (:rrmnn .\tomic \Vrights I'~~mmission considrrrd morc rconomirnl. thrsr f:~rts nnd snggrstrd the nnmr cIswnprum for Only :I f w : ~ t t r m p t sto construct nnolhrr rnrtnl-wire c-lrctric Inn111 :trr rrcorclecl. Aurr thought thnt the rlrmrnt 71. 111orrlrr tounify the n n m r s d tl~rrlements nftrr \\'orld \Vnr 11, the Intrrnntic~nnl;\tonlie \\'rights mc*tnl wit11 tlw highrst mrlting point svns osmium, nnd 210
/ journal of Chemical Education
C'ommix~ion d r r i d 4 despitr the discovrry of element i l I)?. Aurr VIIII \\'rlshnch to rctnin t h r nnmr lutrtium. which l~sclIKWI usnl hy most srirntists. It hns l r r n mr111.innnlt h : ~ t h r f:irtory in :itzgrrsdorf ~vns d l - r c ( r ~ i l ~ p r lcol carry out srp:irntions hy the mrthod of fr:rctin!~:ilcryst:illimtion on n cnmp~~r:rtivrly l:~rgcselilr, at th:it time th(. 1:irgrst.in thc \vorld. \Vhrn I'irrrc:r~~(l \Ia~I:i~nc C w i r in~lntrd radium fmm uranium pitchl)lrnclr, tlwy nlso m:ulo IIW of the method of fr;~ctinn:dcryst:~lliz:rtion. 1111!)04 nnd I!)05, ltl.WO kg of ~~r:rniwn p i l r h l h ~ c l r rrsiclr~rs ~~IIIIICI in do:irl~imsthnl (now CSSIi; :it t h r time p w t of h~~ntrin-Hung:wy) w r r Inwgl~t.I > \ the ;\ustri:lt~ ;\r;idrmy of Scirrlrrs :irld tr:insportnl t o ~ltzgrrsdorf, whrrr the r:ulillm was rxtrnrtrrl : ~ n dsold to t l ~ :icadrnmy r witl~out: u ~ yprnlit. \\:it hin :I short t.itnr, A11rr's 1:ictory proclucnl mnrc l h : ~ n .5 g of rndi~~m-theltirgrst nmnur~tof r:~(liwnwhich h:td ever h n * pmducnl. ~~ T h r r:idiwn W:IS distril111tv4:ill over t h r \vorld; in 1907 i~uthcrfnrdnntl Rrimsry wrm t h r first to ohtnin 300 mp of r:~dinmhrnmidr, and in I!OS Itutl~erfonlw:rs g i v r ~-100 ~ rng of rndiwn chloride I I 1 o 1 1 Lllrsc lvrrr the m:itvrials hr uscul for his sncccs.;ful rrwrrrh. llncli~lm mstrrinls from Virnn:r w r c ~ ~ s eto c l prrpnm raclium stnncinrds Ity Hiini~srl~micl in (:crm:u~y. llnclium 1v:t.i distrihr~trrlto trvrf~ty-four clilTrrr~~tco~~ntrics, i n r l ~ ~ d i ntgh r V.S.A., the l ~ . l i . , Russi:~.nnd C:W:I~:I. 'l.11~ nloncy m c i v n l for rndium
..
p pmrlurts IV:IS a d sprnt 1)y t h r ArnOrmy in l o ~ ~ n t l i nthe Il:dium 11wtitutr nf tlw h s t r i : u ~ilcaclemy of Srirnrc in V i n n S r s t to t h r R t d i ~ l mInstitutr in I':rris, this w:~ut h r m o ~ tirnport:int rndi~lrni ~ ~ s l i l uin t r the 1vorld. A huildir~gwas r r r r t n l for it ~vithin:I short clist:~rrer from t h r I:h~r:itorir.; of rl~rmistry: ~ n dphysirs of the Univrrsity of V ~ ~ I I I I :Strf:tn I. \ h y r 1)wrme Dirrctor, :ind 1:r:inz Virtor l l w s his first wsist:rnt in rrsr:irrh, who in 1!l10 sl:lrtnl rsperimrnts to mr;wnrr tlw nI,rorp ticm of g:tmm:r nrys in air. The rw111t- of this invr.~tigation IwI to tlw ~li.srtwrryof rosmir indi:~tinn, for h i 1 1I r I t o l l r I I ! It w w in t I ~ i xinstitot(! th:~t t h r lirst rsl?rrimrrrts I)? I':~nrtl~: I I I ~ vnn Hrvesy wrrc cnrricrl r~ut.Irnrling to t l ~ nrw r lirld of tr:lcrr chrmistry. wl~irhp n w n l to III* w r y u s r h ~ lin tht* i~~vrstip:~tion of 1 1 1 ~ 1r ~l r n ~ r n t s: ~ n dtlwn i l l t l l r stwly of hiolopirnl :\.rtrrns. SII From thv f c w t i ~ n l : ~ t iofo ~t ~ h r P ~ I I V - I ~ : I P ~s:11ts ~I It? C:wI I \ I VIIII ~ \Vrlsh:irl~ thrrr ~ I I S I I P:i~ long wrirs of importti~~t srimtilir ~ l i s ~ n v r r i:rnd r s i ~ ~ v r n t i o ~l rw: i,d i ~ ~ g directly tn a h : ~ twr nn1v r:dl r:~tli~~rl~rn)i.st ry :md I I I I P I C ~ chrn~istry. h r r \v:w inrlcnl :i r : m m:m. :i sriwtifir I inrrntor \\it11 rr:~l pr:irtic:ll insight. g r n i ~ sI I\'(!owr Inis work n g m ~ drnl t more st1111yt II:III it IISII:III~ grt*. : ~ n dlhv rwt o f t hr- world mvrs t lrc. rrqx.rt :III#I t IIP l~onnr:~rcorcIrdhim by his I ~ d n v r dVienn:~. I2rnm him thrrcr:imr, i~lclnd. nwrr light !
Summer Institutes for College Chemistry Teachers
Volume 47, Number 3, March 1970
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