Midgley, Thomas, Jr.

Midgley, Thomas, Jr.
born May 18, 1889, Beaver Falls, Pa., U.S.
died Nov. 2, 1944, Worthington, Ohio

U.S. engineer and chemist.

After studying at Cornell University, he worked as an industrial researcher and administrator. In 1921 he discovered the effectiveness of tetraethyl lead as an antiknock additive for gasoline. He also discovered dichlorodifluoromethane, a refrigerant sold commercially as Freon-12 (see Freon), which with related compounds came into universal use as refrigerants and later as aerosol propellants. Midgley conducted extensive research on natural and synthetic rubbers and discovered one of the first catalysts for "cracking" (breaking down) hydrocarbons.

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▪ American chemical engineer
born May 18, 1889, Beaver Falls, Pa., U.S.
died Nov. 2, 1944, Worthington, Ohio

      American engineer and chemist who discovered the effectiveness of tetraethyl lead as an antiknock additive for gasoline.

      The son of an immigrant inventor from London, Midgley grew up in Pennsylvania and Ohio and graduated from Cornell University (1911). He held various jobs before joining the research staff of the Dayton (Ohio) Engineering Laboratories Company (Delco) in 1916. He served as vice president of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation from 1923, vice president of Kinetic Chemicals, Inc., from 1930, and director of the Ethyl-Dow Chemical Company from 1933. From 1940 to 1944 he was a director and vice president of the Ohio State University Research Foundation. He also served as head of one branch of the National Defense Research Committee during World War II.

      Midgley's research on the problem of engine knock (knocking) made him a pioneer in the study of internal combustion, and in 1921 he discovered tetraethyl lead. His investigation of problems arising from the use of lead additives led him to the demonstration that bromine could be extracted from seawater.

      During World War I Midgley also developed the control systems for the aerial torpedo, a propeller-driven device somewhat like the buzz bomb of World War II. His search for a nontoxic, nonflammable refrigerant culminated within three days in his discovery of dichlorodifluoromethane, which was commercially introduced under the trade name Freon-12. Freon-12 and several related compounds came into universal use as refrigerants and later found wide application as aerosol propellants.

      Midgley conducted extensive research on the composition of natural and synthetic rubbers and discovered one of the first catalysts for “cracking” (breaking down) hydrocarbons.

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  • Midgley, Thomas, Jr. — (18 may. 1889, Beaver Falls, Pa., EE.UU.–2 nov. 1944, Worthington, Ohio). Ingeniero y químico estadounidense. Luego de estudiar en la Universidad de Cornell, trabajó como investigador industrial y administrador. En 1921 descubrió la efectividad… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Midgley — Thomas Midgley, Jr. (* 18. Mai 1889 in Beaver Falls; † 2. November 1944 in Worthington[1]) war ein US amerikanischer Maschinenbau Ingenieur, der zur Chemie wechselte. Er entwickelte sowohl das Benzinadditiv Tetraethylblei als auch die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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  • Thomas Midgley, Jr. — Infobox Scientist name = Thomas Midgley, Jr. caption = Thomas Midgley, Jr. birth date = 18 May 1889 birth place = Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, USA death date = 2 November 1944 death place = residence = nationality = ethnicity = field = mechanical… …   Wikipedia

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  • Thomas Midgley — Jr. Thomas Midgley (1889 1944), était un chimiste américain, CFC. Biographie Né à Beaver Falls (Pennsylvanie) aux États Unis d’Amérique, le 18 mai 1889. Après des études de mécanique et de chimie à l’Université de Cornell, située dans l’état de… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Thomas midgley — Jr. Thomas Midgley (1889 1944), était un chimiste américain, CFC. Biographie Né à Beaver Falls (Pennsylvanie) aux États Unis d’Amérique, le 18 mai 1889. Après des études de mécanique et de chimie à l’Université de Cornell, située dans l’état de… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Thomas Midgley — Thomas Midgley, Jr. (* 18. Mai 1889 in Beaver Falls; † 2. November 1944 in Worthington[1]) war ein US amerikanischer Maschinenbau Ingenieur, der zur Chemie wechselte. Er entwickelte sowohl das Benzinadditiv Tetraethylblei als auch die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Thomas Midgley Jr. — Thomas Midgley (1889 1944), était un ingénieur mécanicien puis chimiste américain. Il a développé la production et l usage des chlorofluorocarbures ou CFC, ainsi que du tétraéthylplomb, un additif pour carburants. Malgré leur utilité, ces deux… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Thomas Midgley — Thomas Midgley, Jr. (18 de mayo de 1889 – 2 de noviembre de 1944) fue un ingeniero mecánico estadounidense que terminó dedicándose a la química. Desarrolló el plomo tetraetílico,que durante décadas fue un aditivo para la gasolina, y más tarde los …   Wikipedia Español

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