Difference between revisions of "History of Computers - Friedrich Reintzer"
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Although less known in the world of computing as others, in 1888 Friedrich Reintzer discovered an amazing variation of cholesteryl benzoate, which we now know of as Liquid Crystals as they were later named by Otto Lehmann. | Although less known in the world of computing as others, in 1888 Friedrich Reintzer discovered an amazing variation of cholesteryl benzoate, which we now know of as Liquid Crystals as they were later named by Otto Lehmann. | ||
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| + | http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Friedrich_Reinitzer_01.jpg | ||
==Bio== | ==Bio== | ||
| − | Reinitzer grew up in a German family in Prague. He began his career as a chemist at the German Technical University in Prague and in 1883 he left the university with a large knowledge of chemical experimentation. In 1885 he went to the Technical University in Graz. There he took a prominent role in the university as the rector, but it was while he was at the university that he made a large discovery. In 1888 he noticed a strange behaviour in solid oranic compounds, specifically cholesteryl benzoate, when they were heated to extreme degrees. Most importantly he found that there were two melting points of what would later be called liquid crystals. He latter worked together with physicist Otto Lehmann, to verify and continue his studies, and it was then that Lehmann named the compound liquid crystals because of the unique properties of the compound that gave it both the properties of a solid and a liquid at the same time. The discovery attracted large amounts of attention because at the time no element or compound had been found with properties even remotely similar to this. However, because of the current level of technology available, there was no practical use for the liquid crystals and because further investigation of the subject proved to be quite expensive, interest in the strange new material quickly faded and was dropped until centuries later. Although Otto Lehmann gets the credit of naming the compound, the due credit of it's discovery and analysis of properties goes entirely to Reintzer. | + | Reinitzer grew up in a German family in Prague. He began his career as a chemist at the German Technical University in Prague and in 1883 he left the university with a large knowledge of chemical experimentation. In 1885 he went to the Technical University in Graz. There he took a prominent role in the university as the rector, but it was while he was at the university that he made a large discovery. In 1888 he noticed a strange behaviour in solid oranic compounds, specifically cholesteryl benzoate, when they were heated to extreme degrees.<ref name = "wikipvhjvhjgedia1"> [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Reinitzer]. Wikipedia: Friedrich Reintzer </ref> Most importantly he found that there were two melting points of what would later be called liquid crystals. He latter worked together with physicist Otto Lehmann, to verify and continue his studies, and it was then that Lehmann named the compound liquid crystals because of the unique properties of the compound that gave it both the properties of a solid and a liquid at the same time. The discovery attracted large amounts of attention because at the time no element or compound had been found with properties even remotely similar to this. However, because of the current level of technology available, there was no practical use for the liquid crystals and because further investigation of the subject proved to be quite expensive, interest in the strange new material quickly faded and was dropped until centuries.<ref name = "wikipvhjvdia1"> [http://invention.smithsonian.org/centerpieces/quartz/inventors/liquid.html]. Smithsonian: Friedrich Reintzer </ref> later. Although Otto Lehmann gets the credit of naming the compound, the due credit of it's discovery and analysis of properties goes entirely to Reintzer. |
Revision as of 17:26, 14 September 2009
Although less known in the world of computing as others, in 1888 Friedrich Reintzer discovered an amazing variation of cholesteryl benzoate, which we now know of as Liquid Crystals as they were later named by Otto Lehmann.
Contents
Bio
Reinitzer grew up in a German family in Prague. He began his career as a chemist at the German Technical University in Prague and in 1883 he left the university with a large knowledge of chemical experimentation. In 1885 he went to the Technical University in Graz. There he took a prominent role in the university as the rector, but it was while he was at the university that he made a large discovery. In 1888 he noticed a strange behaviour in solid oranic compounds, specifically cholesteryl benzoate, when they were heated to extreme degrees.[1] Most importantly he found that there were two melting points of what would later be called liquid crystals. He latter worked together with physicist Otto Lehmann, to verify and continue his studies, and it was then that Lehmann named the compound liquid crystals because of the unique properties of the compound that gave it both the properties of a solid and a liquid at the same time. The discovery attracted large amounts of attention because at the time no element or compound had been found with properties even remotely similar to this. However, because of the current level of technology available, there was no practical use for the liquid crystals and because further investigation of the subject proved to be quite expensive, interest in the strange new material quickly faded and was dropped until centuries.[2] later. Although Otto Lehmann gets the credit of naming the compound, the due credit of it's discovery and analysis of properties goes entirely to Reintzer.
