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{{short description|Swiss chemist and inventor (1818–1860)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Matthias Eduard Schweizer
| name = Matthias Eduard Schweizer
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| known_for = [[Schweizer's reagent]]
| known_for = [[Schweizer's reagent]]
}}
}}
'''Matthias Eduard Schweizer''' (8 August 1818 – 23 October 1860) was a Swiss chemist.
'''Matthias Eduard Schweizer''' (8 August 1818 – 23 October 1860) was a [[Swiss people|Swiss]] chemist
He is known for his 1857 invention of [[Schweizer's reagent]], in which cellulose can be dissolved for production of artificial silk.
who in 1857 invented [[Schweizer's reagent]], in which [[cellulose]] can be dissolved to produce [[artificial silk]] or [[rayon]].
He was one of the pioneers of the synthetic textile industry.
He was one of the pioneers of the synthetic textile industry.


==Life==
==Life==

Matthias Eduard Schweizer was born on 8 August 1818 in [[Wila, Switzerland|Wila]], Zurich canton.
Matthias Eduard Schweizer was born on 8 August 1818 in [[Wila, Switzerland|Wila]], Zurich canton.
He was awarded his doctorate in at the [[University of Zurich]], then worked as an assistant at the Zurich Polytechnic.{{sfn|Kauffman|1984|p=1095}}
He was awarded his doctorate in at the [[University of Zurich]], then worked as an assistant at the Zurich Polytechnic.{{sfn|Kauffman|1984|p=1095}}
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He found that after extrusion the cellulose could be regenerated in a coagulating bath.{{sfn|Curley|2009|p=360}}
He found that after extrusion the cellulose could be regenerated in a coagulating bath.{{sfn|Curley|2009|p=360}}
Schweizer did not apply for a patent on his invention.{{sfn|Woodings|2001|p=88}}
Schweizer did not apply for a patent on his invention.{{sfn|Woodings|2001|p=88}}
He died on 23 October 1860 in Zurich.{{sfn|Kauffman|1984|p=1095}}
He died on 23 October 1860 in Zurich at the age of 42.{{sfn|Kauffman|1984|p=1095}}


==Schweizer's Reagent==
==Schweizer's reagent==
[[File:CelluloseRXN.png|thumb|Cellulose dissolution in tetraaminecopper(II) hydroxide]]
[[File:CelluloseRXN.png|thumb|Cellulose dissolution in tetraaminecopper(II) hydroxide]]
Schweizer's reagent is an alkaline solution of copper sulfate in ammonia, [Cu(NH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>]
Schweizer's reagent is an alkaline solution of copper sulfate in ammonia, [Cu(NH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>]
Line 39: Line 39:


==Industrial exploitation==
==Industrial exploitation==

[[Max Fremery]] (1859–1932), a German chemist, and [[Johann Urban]] (1863–1940), an Austrian engineer, began manufacturing lamp filaments in [[Oberbruch Industry Park|Oberbruch]] near [[Aachen]] in 1891 using cotton and Schweizer's reagent. They patented a version of the Despeissis process with the addition of a practical method for spinning the fiber.{{sfn|Woodings|2001|p=5}}
[[Max Fremery]] (1859–1932), a German chemist, and [[Johann Urban]] (1863–1940), an Austrian engineer, began manufacturing lamp filaments in [[Oberbruch Industry Park|Oberbruch]] near [[Aachen]] in 1891 using cotton and Schweizer's reagent. They patented a version of the Despeissis process with the addition of a practical method for spinning the fiber.{{sfn|Woodings|2001|p=5}}
On 19 September 1899 they launched [[Vereinigte Glanzstoff-Fabriken]] (VGF) with 2 million marks of capital.{{sfn|Woodings|2001|p=94}}
On 19 September 1899 they launched [[Vereinigte Glanzstoff-Fabriken]] (VGF) with 2 million marks of capital.{{sfn|Woodings|2001|p=94}}
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==Sources==
==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Curley |first=Robert |title=The Britannica Guide to Inventions That Changed the Modern World
*{{cite book|ref=harv
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mab-a3cBxDAC&pg=PA360 |access-date=2015-09-22
|last=Curley|first=Robert|title=The Britannica Guide to Inventions That Changed the Modern World
|date=2009-12-20 |publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-61530-020-4}}
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Mab-a3cBxDAC&pg=PA360|accessdate=2015-09-22
*{{cite journal |title=Qualitative Determination of Cellulose in the Cell Walls of Verticicladiella procera
|date=2009-12-20|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-61530-020-4}}
|last1=Horner |last2=Alexander |last3=Julian |first1=W. Elliott |first2=S. A. |first3=Maureen M.
*{{cite journal|ref=harv |title=Qualitative Determination of Cellulose in the Cell Walls of Verticicladiella procera
|journal=Mycologia |volume=78 |issue=2 |pages=300–303
|last1=Horner|last2=Alexander|last3=Julian|first1=W. Elliott |first2=S. A. |first3=Maureen M.
|journal=Mycologia|volume=78 |issue=2 |date=March–April 1986|publisher=Mycological Society of America|DOI=10.2307/3793179|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/3793179}}
|date=March–April 1986 |doi=10.2307/3793179 |jstor=3793179}}
*{{cite book |last1=Ing |first1=Todd S.|last2=Rahman |first2=Mohamed A. |last3=Kjellstrand |first3=Carl M. |title=Dialysis: History, Development, and Promise
*{{cite book|ref=harv
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nv3R3U3kwO8C&pg=PA322 |access-date=2015-09-22
|last1=Ing|first1=Todd S.|last2=Rahman|first2=Mohamed A.|last3=Kjellstrand|first3=Carl M.|title=Dialysis: History, Development, and Promise
|year=2012 |publisher=World Scientific |isbn=978-981-4289-75-7}}
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=nv3R3U3kwO8C&pg=PA322|accessdate=2015-09-22
*{{cite journal |title=Eduard Schweizer (1818-1860): The unknown chemist and his well-known reagent |last=Kauffman |first=George B. |journal=J. Chem. Educ. |volume=61 |issue=12 |pages=1095 |doi=10.1021/ed061p1095 |date=December 1984|bibcode=1984JChEd..61.1095K }}
|year=2012|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-4289-75-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Senning |first=Alexander |title=Elsevier's Dictionary of Chemoetymology: The Whys and Whences of Chemical Nomenclature and Terminology
*{{cite journal|ref=harv|title=Eduard Schweizer (1818-1860): The unknown chemist and his well-known reagent|url=http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed061p1095
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fl4sdCYrq3cC&pg=PA355 |access-date=2015-09-22
|last=Kauffman |first=George B. |journal=J. Chem. Educ.volume=61 |issue=12|DOI=10.1021/ed061p1095|date=December 1984}}
|date=2006-10-30 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-08-048881-3}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv
*{{cite book |last=Woodings |first=C |title=Regenerated Cellulose Fibres
|last=Senning|first=Alexander|title=Elsevier's Dictionary of Chemoetymology: The Whys and Whences of Chemical Nomenclature and Terminology
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Fl4sdCYrq3cC&pg=PA355|accessdate=2015-09-22
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U-akAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA4 |access-date=2015-09-16
|date=2006-10-30|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=978-0-08-048881-3}}
|date=2001-04-30 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-85573-758-7}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv
|last=Woodings|first=C|title=Regenerated Cellulose Fibres
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=U-akAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA4|accessdate=2015-09-16
|date=2001-04-30|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=978-1-85573-758-7}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}
{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}
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[[Category:1860 deaths]]
[[Category:1860 deaths]]
[[Category:Swiss chemists]]
[[Category:Swiss chemists]]
[[Category:University of Zurich alumni]]

Latest revision as of 01:45, 2 August 2022

Matthias Eduard Schweizer
Born(1818-08-08)8 August 1818
Wila, Canton of Zürich, Switzerland
Died23 October 1860(1860-10-23) (aged 42)
Zürich, Switzerland
NationalitySwiss
OccupationChemist
Known forSchweizer's reagent

Matthias Eduard Schweizer (8 August 1818 – 23 October 1860) was a Swiss chemist who in 1857 invented Schweizer's reagent, in which cellulose can be dissolved to produce artificial silk or rayon. He was one of the pioneers of the synthetic textile industry.

Life

[edit]

Matthias Eduard Schweizer was born on 8 August 1818 in Wila, Zurich canton. He was awarded his doctorate in at the University of Zurich, then worked as an assistant at the Zurich Polytechnic.[1] He was a student and assistant of Carl Jacob Löwig, and was mainly involved in analysis of different minerals. He lectured at the university, and was an associate professor at the university from 1852. From 1855 he taught chemistry at the Higher Industrial School (Oberen Industrieschule) in Zurich.[1] Schweizer published a paper in 1857 (Das Kupferoxid-Ammoniak, ein Auflösungsmittel für die Pflanzenfaser) in which he reported that cotton, linen cellulose and silk could be dissolved in a cuprammonium solution.[2] He found that after extrusion the cellulose could be regenerated in a coagulating bath.[3] Schweizer did not apply for a patent on his invention.[2] He died on 23 October 1860 in Zurich at the age of 42.[1]

Schweizer's reagent

[edit]
Cellulose dissolution in tetraaminecopper(II) hydroxide

Schweizer's reagent is an alkaline solution of copper sulfate in ammonia, [Cu(NH3)4] (OH)2–3H2O, or CuH14N4O2.[4][5] Schweizer's reagent may be prepared by covering technical grade, stabilized Copper(II) hydroxide with ammonium hydroxide.[6] It was the basis for the process patented in 1890 by the French chemist Louis-Henri Despeissis for making fibers from cuprammonium rayon.[3] He extruded the cuprammonium solution of cellulose into water, then used dilute sulfuric acid to neutralize the ammonia and precipitate the cellulose fibers.[7] Despeissis died in 1892 and his patent was not renewed.[8]

Industrial exploitation

[edit]

Max Fremery (1859–1932), a German chemist, and Johann Urban (1863–1940), an Austrian engineer, began manufacturing lamp filaments in Oberbruch near Aachen in 1891 using cotton and Schweizer's reagent. They patented a version of the Despeissis process with the addition of a practical method for spinning the fiber.[8] On 19 September 1899 they launched Vereinigte Glanzstoff-Fabriken (VGF) with 2 million marks of capital.[9] VGF quickly became a successful artificial fiber manufacturing company.[10]

By 1909–10 it was evident that the viscose process was superior, and VGF began to convert to viscose production. However, although cuprammonium rayon was more expensive than viscose rayon, with Edmund Thiele's "stretch-spinning" process it was possible to make rayon with fine filaments of 1-1.5 denier.[11] Cuprophan, a cellulose membrane based on the process, was being used in dialyzers after World War II (1939–45).[4] As late as 2001 Asahi Chemical Industries of Nobeoka, Japan, was using the cuprammonium process to manufacture rayon.[12]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Kauffman 1984, p. 1095.
  2. ^ a b Woodings 2001, p. 88.
  3. ^ a b Curley 2009, p. 360.
  4. ^ a b Ing, Rahman & Kjellstrand 2012, p. 322.
  5. ^ Senning 2006, p. 355.
  6. ^ Horner, Alexander & Julian 1986, p. 301.
  7. ^ Woodings 2001, p. 4–5.
  8. ^ a b Woodings 2001, p. 5.
  9. ^ Woodings 2001, p. 94.
  10. ^ Woodings 2001, p. 95.
  11. ^ Woodings 2001, p. 96.
  12. ^ Woodings 2001, p. 103.

Sources

[edit]
  • Curley, Robert (2009-12-20). The Britannica Guide to Inventions That Changed the Modern World. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-61530-020-4. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  • Horner, W. Elliott; Alexander, S. A.; Julian, Maureen M. (March–April 1986). "Qualitative Determination of Cellulose in the Cell Walls of Verticicladiella procera". Mycologia. 78 (2): 300–303. doi:10.2307/3793179. JSTOR 3793179.
  • Ing, Todd S.; Rahman, Mohamed A.; Kjellstrand, Carl M. (2012). Dialysis: History, Development, and Promise. World Scientific. ISBN 978-981-4289-75-7. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  • Kauffman, George B. (December 1984). "Eduard Schweizer (1818-1860): The unknown chemist and his well-known reagent". J. Chem. Educ. 61 (12): 1095. Bibcode:1984JChEd..61.1095K. doi:10.1021/ed061p1095.
  • Senning, Alexander (2006-10-30). Elsevier's Dictionary of Chemoetymology: The Whys and Whences of Chemical Nomenclature and Terminology. Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-08-048881-3. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  • Woodings, C (2001-04-30). Regenerated Cellulose Fibres. Elsevier. ISBN 978-1-85573-758-7. Retrieved 2015-09-16.