Eugene Turpin
Encyclopedia
François Eugène Turpin was a French
chemist
involved in research of explosive material
s. He lived in Colombes
.
s, a class of Sprengel explosive
s based on a mixture of a suitable fuel with dinitrogen tetroxide
as an oxidizer.
In 1885, based on research of Hermann Sprengel
, Turpin patented the use of pressed and cast picric acid
in blasting charges and artillery shells. In 1887 the French government adopted it under the name melinite, with addition of gun cotton. Since 1888, Britain started manufacturing a very similar mixture in Lydd
, Kent, under the name lyddite. Japan followed with an improved formula known as schimose.
In 1897, Turpin sued Jules Verne
for basing Thomas Roch from the Facing the Flag
novel on him and the Melinite explosive. Verne, defended by Raymond Poincaré
, was found innocent; his letter to his brother Paul however confirms the character was indeed based on Turpin.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
involved in research of explosive material
Explosive material
An explosive material, also called an explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure...
s. He lived in Colombes
Colombes
Colombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:On 13 March 1896, 17% of the territory of Colombes was detached and became the commune of Bois-Colombes ....
.
Biography
In 1881 Turpin proposed panclastitePanclastite
Panclastites are a class of Sprengel explosives similar to oxyliquits. They were first suggested in 1881 by Eugène Turpin, a French chemist. They are a mixture of liquid dinitrogen tetroxide serving as oxidizer with a suitable fuel, e.g. carbon disulfide, in the 3:2 volume ratio. Other fuel being...
s, a class of Sprengel explosive
Sprengel explosive
Sprengel explosives are a generic class of materials invented by Hermann Sprengel in the 1870s. They consist of stoichiometric mixtures of strong oxidisers and reactive fuels, mixed just prior to use in order to enhance safety...
s based on a mixture of a suitable fuel with dinitrogen tetroxide
Dinitrogen tetroxide
Dinitrogen tetroxide is the chemical compound N2O4. It is a useful reagent in chemical synthesis. It forms an equilibrium mixture with nitrogen dioxide; some call this mixture dinitrogen tetroxide, while some call it nitrogen dioxide.Dinitrogen tetroxide is a powerful oxidizer, making it highly...
as an oxidizer.
In 1885, based on research of Hermann Sprengel
Hermann Sprengel
Hermann Sprengel FRS was a German chemist who discovered the explosive nature of picric acid in 1873. He also invented a generic class of materials called Sprengel explosives...
, Turpin patented the use of pressed and cast picric acid
Picric acid
Picric acid is the chemical compound formally called 2,4,6-trinitrophenol . This yellow crystalline solid is one of the most acidic phenols. Like other highly nitrated compounds such as TNT, picric acid is an explosive...
in blasting charges and artillery shells. In 1887 the French government adopted it under the name melinite, with addition of gun cotton. Since 1888, Britain started manufacturing a very similar mixture in Lydd
Lydd
Lydd is a town in Kent, England, lying on the Romney Marsh. It is one of the larger towns on the Marsh, and the most southerly town in Kent. Actually located on Denge Marsh, Lydd was one of the first sandy islands to form as the bay evolved into what is now called the Romney Marsh...
, Kent, under the name lyddite. Japan followed with an improved formula known as schimose.
In 1897, Turpin sued Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
for basing Thomas Roch from the Facing the Flag
Facing the Flag
Facing the Flag or For the Flag is an 1896 patriotic novel by Jules Verne. The book is part of the Voyages Extraordinaires series....
novel on him and the Melinite explosive. Verne, defended by Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France on five separate occasions and as President of France from 1913 to 1920. Poincaré was a conservative leader primarily committed to political and social stability...
, was found innocent; his letter to his brother Paul however confirms the character was indeed based on Turpin.