William Francis Hillebrand
Encyclopedia
William Francis Hillebrand (December 12, 1853 – February 7, 1925) was an American
chemist
.
.
He studied at Cornell University
and then in Germany at the University of Heidelberg where he received his Ph.D. in 1875. He then worked with Robert Bunsen
for two semesters. His research on metallic cerium
, which he together with Thomas Norton obtained first in 1872, started his academic career.
He studied organic chemistry for three semesters with Wilhelm Rudolph Fittig
at the University of Strasbourg
, but changed to geochemistry
and metallurgy
by studying at the Freiberg Mining Academy. After returning home to the United States in 1878, he opened an assay office in Leadville, Colorado
, in 1879, and then started working as a chemist at the United States Geological Survey
in 1880. That year he was sent to Denver to establish a chemical laboratory for the Rocky Mountain Division of the Survey. For five years he remained in charge of this laboratory, and then was transferred to the chief laboratory in Washington. He changed to the National Bureau of Standards in 1909 where he was chief chemist.
He was professor of general chemistry and physics at the National College of Pharmacy, from 1892 to 1910; president of the American Chemical Society
in 1906; and in 1908 he became editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. He was the author of several books on chemical subjects.
His son was the professor of English literature Harold Newcomb Hillebrand
(1887–1953).
containing mineral uranite he discovered that a gas evolved. He identified this gas by spectroscopic methods to be nitrogen
. Several years later in 1895 William Ramsay
did similar experiments with uranium containing minerals and discovered by similar methods that the gas was a mixture of argon and helium which until then had only been detected in the corona of stars.
A reexamination by Ramsay of Hillebrand's samples showed that the gas from uranite contained a large amount of nitrogen.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
.
Biography
He was the son of the renowned botanist William HillebrandWilliam Hillebrand
William Hillebrand was a German physician. He traveled the world, including over 20 years in the Hawaiian islands. In 1850, Hillebrand lived at what is now Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu. He also became known as a botanist.-Life and career:...
.
He studied at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and then in Germany at the University of Heidelberg where he received his Ph.D. in 1875. He then worked with Robert Bunsen
Robert Bunsen
Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium and rubidium with Gustav Kirchhoff. Bunsen developed several gas-analytical methods, was a pioneer in photochemistry, and did early work in the field of organoarsenic...
for two semesters. His research on metallic cerium
Cerium
Cerium is a chemical element with the symbol Ce and atomic number 58. It is a soft, silvery, ductile metal which easily oxidizes in air. Cerium was named after the dwarf planet . Cerium is the most abundant of the rare earth elements, making up about 0.0046% of the Earth's crust by weight...
, which he together with Thomas Norton obtained first in 1872, started his academic career.
He studied organic chemistry for three semesters with Wilhelm Rudolph Fittig
Wilhelm Rudolph Fittig
Wilhelm Rudolph Fittig was a German chemist. Fittig discovered the pinacol coupling reaction, mesitylene, diacetyl and biphenyl. He studied the action of sodium on ketones and hydrocarbons...
at the University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
, but changed to geochemistry
Geochemistry
The field of geochemistry involves study of the chemical composition of the Earth and other planets, chemical processes and reactions that govern the composition of rocks, water, and soils, and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space, and...
and metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
by studying at the Freiberg Mining Academy. After returning home to the United States in 1878, he opened an assay office in Leadville, Colorado
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
, in 1879, and then started working as a chemist at the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
in 1880. That year he was sent to Denver to establish a chemical laboratory for the Rocky Mountain Division of the Survey. For five years he remained in charge of this laboratory, and then was transferred to the chief laboratory in Washington. He changed to the National Bureau of Standards in 1909 where he was chief chemist.
He was professor of general chemistry and physics at the National College of Pharmacy, from 1892 to 1910; president of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
in 1906; and in 1908 he became editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. He was the author of several books on chemical subjects.
His son was the professor of English literature Harold Newcomb Hillebrand
Harold Newcomb Hillebrand
Harold Newcomb Hillebrand was a professor of English literature.Harold was the son of William Francis Hillebrand, a chemist with specialization in geochemistry and Martha May Hillebrand, née Westcott. His brother was an electrical engineer at Paolo Alto, California...
(1887–1953).
Studies of uranium
During an analysis of the uraniumUranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
containing mineral uranite he discovered that a gas evolved. He identified this gas by spectroscopic methods to be nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
. Several years later in 1895 William Ramsay
William Ramsay
Sir William Ramsay was a Scottish chemist who discovered the noble gases and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904 "in recognition of his services in the discovery of the inert gaseous elements in air" .-Early years:Ramsay was born in Glasgow on 2...
did similar experiments with uranium containing minerals and discovered by similar methods that the gas was a mixture of argon and helium which until then had only been detected in the corona of stars.
A reexamination by Ramsay of Hillebrand's samples showed that the gas from uranite contained a large amount of nitrogen.