Edward Goodrich Acheson
Encyclopedia
Edward Goodrich Acheson was an American chemist
. Born in Washington, Pennsylvania
, he was the inventor of carborundum
, and later a manufacturer of carborundum and graphite
. Thomas Edison
put him to work on September 12, 1880 at his Menlo Park, New Jersey laboratory under John Kruesi
. Acheson experimented on making a conducting carbon that Edison could use in his electric light bulbs
.
Acheson attended the Bellefonte Academy
for three years, 1870, 1871 and 1872; this being the totality of his formal education. Acheson began his career as a surveying assistant for the Pittsburgh Southern Railroad.
In 1884, Acheson left Edison and became supervisor at a plant competing to manufacture electric lamps. He began working on the development of Cubic Zirconium (artificial diamonds) It was here he began his own experiments on methods for producing artificial diamonds in an electric furnace. He heated a mixture of clay and coke in an iron bowl with a carbon arc light and found some shiny, hexagonal crystals (silicon carbide) attached to the carbon electrode.
In 1891 Acheson built an electricity plant in Port Huron
at the suggestion of Edison, and used the electricity to experiment with carborundum.
On February 28, 1893, he received a patent on this highly effective abrasive although a 1900 decision gave "priority broadly" to the Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company
"for reducing ores and other substances by the incandescent method".
Carborundum is silicon carbide and it is created by electronically fusing clay and carbon. It is the second hardest surface next to diamond.
Throughout Acheson's life, he received 70 patents relating to abrasives, graphite products, reduction of oxides, and refractories.
He died on July 6, 1931, in New York City
.
. His house in Monongahela, Pennsylvania
is a National Historic Landmark
.
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...
. Born in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, he was the inventor of carborundum
Silicon carbide
Silicon carbide , also known as carborundum, is a compound of silicon and carbon with chemical formula SiC. It occurs in nature as the extremely rare mineral moissanite. Silicon carbide powder has been mass-produced since 1893 for use as an abrasive...
, and later a manufacturer of carborundum and graphite
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
put him to work on September 12, 1880 at his Menlo Park, New Jersey laboratory under John Kruesi
John Kruesi
John Kruesi was a Swiss born machinist and close associate of Thomas Edison.-Career:Kruesi had been apprenticed as a clock maker in Switzerland, migrating to the United States where he settled in Newark, New Jersey...
. Acheson experimented on making a conducting carbon that Edison could use in his electric light bulbs
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
.
Biography
Bellefonte Academy
Bellefonte Academy was a historic school building located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The original building was built in 1805, as a two-story, rectangular limestone building. It was enlarged between 1839 and 1845, with the addition of two bays and wings to the north and south...
for three years, 1870, 1871 and 1872; this being the totality of his formal education. Acheson began his career as a surveying assistant for the Pittsburgh Southern Railroad.
In 1884, Acheson left Edison and became supervisor at a plant competing to manufacture electric lamps. He began working on the development of Cubic Zirconium (artificial diamonds) It was here he began his own experiments on methods for producing artificial diamonds in an electric furnace. He heated a mixture of clay and coke in an iron bowl with a carbon arc light and found some shiny, hexagonal crystals (silicon carbide) attached to the carbon electrode.
In 1891 Acheson built an electricity plant in Port Huron
Port Huron
Port Huron is the name of a city and a township in St. Clair County, Michigan. See:* Port Huron, Michigan* Port Huron Township, MichiganSee also:* Port Huron Statement...
at the suggestion of Edison, and used the electricity to experiment with carborundum.
On February 28, 1893, he received a patent on this highly effective abrasive although a 1900 decision gave "priority broadly" to the Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company
Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company
The Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company, founded as Cowles Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company, and Cowles Syndicate Company, Limited formed in the United States and England during the mid-1880s to extract and supply valuable metals. Founded by two brothers from Ohio, the Cowles companies are...
"for reducing ores and other substances by the incandescent method".
Carborundum is silicon carbide and it is created by electronically fusing clay and carbon. It is the second hardest surface next to diamond.
Throughout Acheson's life, he received 70 patents relating to abrasives, graphite products, reduction of oxides, and refractories.
He died on July 6, 1931, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Recognition
In 1997, Acheson was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The Hall of Fame honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human,...
. His house in Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, colloquially called "Mon City," is a Third Class City in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, located approximately south of the city proper. The population was 4,761 at the 2000 census...
is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.