Steven Kistler
Encyclopedia
Samuel Stephens Kistler was an American
scientist
and chemical engineer
, best known as the inventor of aerogel
s, the lightest known solid
materials.
Born in the small town of Cedarville
in the far Northeastern corner of California
, son of a shop keeper, the family moved to the larger Santa Rosa
when Kistler was 12, where he first became interested in chemistry
. When he entered the College of the Pacific in 1917 however, his plan was to learn to play the cello
, then pursue a degree in agriculture
. Instead he ended up taking every science course available, and after three years he moved to Stanford University
and obtained a B.A. in chemistry, followed by a chemical engineering degree. He never did learn to play the cello. After a brief spell working for the Standard Oil Company of California
, he returned to academia
, teaching chemistry at the College of the Pacific until 1931, when he transferred to the University of Illinois
.
The exact circumstances of the creation of the first aerogels are not well recorded. A popular story is that they resulted from a competition between Kistler and one Charles Learned "to see if they could replace the liquid inside of a jelly jar without causing any shrinkage". Whether these experiments were performed at the College of the Pacific, still with limited facilities following the move in 1923 to the new Stockton
campus, or at Stanford where Kistler began pursuing a doctorate in 1927, is a source of some confusion. Either way, in 1931 Kistler published a paper in Nature
(vol. 127, p. 741) titled "Coherent Expanded Aerogels and Jellies".
Leaving his teaching post at the University of Illinois in 1935, and signed a contract with Monsanto Company in the early 1940s to start developing granular silica aerogel
products under the trademark Santocel. Largely used as a flattening agent in paints and similar uses, Monsanto discontinued the line in 1970, probably due to the high cost of manufacture and competition from newer products. Kistler had returned to teaching however, taking up a position as Dean
of Engineering at the University of Utah
in 1952. He died in 1975, shortly before the resurgence of interest in aerogel
s caused by the discovery of a less time consuming method of manufacture by researchers led by Stanislaus Teichner in France
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and chemical engineer
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, best known as the inventor of aerogel
Aerogel
Aerogel is a synthetic porous material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and thermal conductivity...
s, the lightest known solid
Solid
Solid is one of the three classical states of matter . It is characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes of shape or volume. Unlike a liquid, a solid object does not flow to take on the shape of its container, nor does it expand to fill the entire volume available to it like a...
materials.
Born in the small town of Cedarville
Cedarville, California
Cedarville is a census-designated place in Modoc County, California. It is located east of Alturas, at an elevation of 4652 feet ....
in the far Northeastern corner of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, son of a shop keeper, the family moved to the larger Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
when Kistler was 12, where he first became interested in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. When he entered the College of the Pacific in 1917 however, his plan was to learn to play the cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, then pursue a degree in agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Instead he ended up taking every science course available, and after three years he moved to Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and obtained a B.A. in chemistry, followed by a chemical engineering degree. He never did learn to play the cello. After a brief spell working for the Standard Oil Company of California
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
, he returned to academia
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
, teaching chemistry at the College of the Pacific until 1931, when he transferred to the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
The exact circumstances of the creation of the first aerogels are not well recorded. A popular story is that they resulted from a competition between Kistler and one Charles Learned "to see if they could replace the liquid inside of a jelly jar without causing any shrinkage". Whether these experiments were performed at the College of the Pacific, still with limited facilities following the move in 1923 to the new Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
campus, or at Stanford where Kistler began pursuing a doctorate in 1927, is a source of some confusion. Either way, in 1931 Kistler published a paper in Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
(vol. 127, p. 741) titled "Coherent Expanded Aerogels and Jellies".
Leaving his teaching post at the University of Illinois in 1935, and signed a contract with Monsanto Company in the early 1940s to start developing granular silica aerogel
Aerogel
Aerogel is a synthetic porous material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and thermal conductivity...
products under the trademark Santocel. Largely used as a flattening agent in paints and similar uses, Monsanto discontinued the line in 1970, probably due to the high cost of manufacture and competition from newer products. Kistler had returned to teaching however, taking up a position as Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of Engineering at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in 1952. He died in 1975, shortly before the resurgence of interest in aerogel
Aerogel
Aerogel is a synthetic porous material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and thermal conductivity...
s caused by the discovery of a less time consuming method of manufacture by researchers led by Stanislaus Teichner in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.