The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr.
Autor(a) principal: | |
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Data de Publicação: | 2012 |
Outros Autores: | |
Tipo de documento: | Artigo |
Idioma: | eng |
Título da fonte: | Circumscribere |
Texto Completo: | https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/13364 |
Resumo: | In the first decades of the 20th century, the chemical industry developed many new substances in response to technological demands. Produced on a large scale, these new chemicals were released into the environment, leading to some undesirable consequences. This paper presents the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. (1889 – 1944), recognized as one of the greatest industrial chemists of his time for having solved two major technological problems: the improvement of gasoline quality, by developing tetraethyl lead as an antiknock additive; and the development of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as fluids for refrigerators. The study of Midgley’s trajectory shows how this mechanical engineer changed his research strategies from trial and error to the use the periodic table of elements as a guide. This case also suggests reflections on the different dimensions of risk are intrinsic to chemical activity. |
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The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr.In the first decades of the 20th century, the chemical industry developed many new substances in response to technological demands. Produced on a large scale, these new chemicals were released into the environment, leading to some undesirable consequences. This paper presents the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. (1889 – 1944), recognized as one of the greatest industrial chemists of his time for having solved two major technological problems: the improvement of gasoline quality, by developing tetraethyl lead as an antiknock additive; and the development of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as fluids for refrigerators. The study of Midgley’s trajectory shows how this mechanical engineer changed his research strategies from trial and error to the use the periodic table of elements as a guide. This case also suggests reflections on the different dimensions of risk are intrinsic to chemical activity.Centro Simão Mathias de Estudos em História da Ciência2012-12-21info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/13364Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; Vol. 12 (2012); 16-30Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; v. 12 (2012); 16-301980-7651reponame:Circumscribereinstname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)instacron:PUC_SPenghttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/13364/10193Viana, Hélio Elael BoniniPorto, Paulo Alvesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess2017-10-25T00:28:18Zoai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/13364Revistahttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhcPRIhttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/oai||circumhc@pucsp.br1980-76511980-7651opendoar:2017-10-25T00:28:18Circumscribere - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)false |
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
title |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
spellingShingle |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. Viana, Hélio Elael Bonini |
title_short |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
title_full |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
title_fullStr |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
title_full_unstemmed |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
title_sort |
The development of new substances in the first half of the 20th century: the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. |
author |
Viana, Hélio Elael Bonini |
author_facet |
Viana, Hélio Elael Bonini Porto, Paulo Alves |
author_role |
author |
author2 |
Porto, Paulo Alves |
author2_role |
author |
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv |
Viana, Hélio Elael Bonini Porto, Paulo Alves |
description |
In the first decades of the 20th century, the chemical industry developed many new substances in response to technological demands. Produced on a large scale, these new chemicals were released into the environment, leading to some undesirable consequences. This paper presents the case of Thomas Midgley, Jr. (1889 – 1944), recognized as one of the greatest industrial chemists of his time for having solved two major technological problems: the improvement of gasoline quality, by developing tetraethyl lead as an antiknock additive; and the development of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as fluids for refrigerators. The study of Midgley’s trajectory shows how this mechanical engineer changed his research strategies from trial and error to the use the periodic table of elements as a guide. This case also suggests reflections on the different dimensions of risk are intrinsic to chemical activity. |
publishDate |
2012 |
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2012-12-21 |
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
format |
article |
status_str |
publishedVersion |
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv |
https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/13364 |
url |
https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/13364 |
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv |
eng |
language |
eng |
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/13364/10193 |
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
application/pdf |
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Centro Simão Mathias de Estudos em História da Ciência |
publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Centro Simão Mathias de Estudos em História da Ciência |
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; Vol. 12 (2012); 16-30 Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; v. 12 (2012); 16-30 1980-7651 reponame:Circumscribere instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) instacron:PUC_SP |
instname_str |
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) |
instacron_str |
PUC_SP |
institution |
PUC_SP |
reponame_str |
Circumscribere |
collection |
Circumscribere |
repository.name.fl_str_mv |
Circumscribere - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) |
repository.mail.fl_str_mv |
||circumhc@pucsp.br |
_version_ |
1799128573633626112 |