From Classical to Modern Chemistry: The Instrumental Revolution

Peter J. T. Morris, Peter John Turnbull Morris, Royal Society of Chemistry (Great Britain)

Royal Society of Chemistry, 2002 - Science - 347 pages

Most chemists today have either taken part in, or been affected by, the chemical revolution that has taken place over the course of the last century. Developments in instrumentation have changed not just what chemists do, but also how they think about chemistry. New and exciting areas of previously inaccessible research have been opened up as a direct result of this revolution. This is the first book to examine this instrumental revolution and goes on to assess the impact on chemical practice in areas ranging from organic chemistry and biochemistry to environmental analysis and process control, thus demonstrating how fundamental and extensive are the changes that have occurred. With contributions from internationally recognised specialists, this lavishly illustrated book provides a focal point for any historian of chemistry or chemist with an interest in this fascinating topic. This book is published in association with the Science Museum, London, UK and the Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia.

Contents

• The Adoption of Infrared Spectroscopy by Chemists: 3
• Beginnings: 6
• Wartime Developments: 13
• The Synthetic Rubber Program: 15
• Petroleum Refining: 17
• The Dissemination of Infrared Technology: 18
• Comparative Examples: 20
• Conclusion: 23
• Acknowledgements: 26
• Analytical Chemistry and the Big Scientific Instrumentation Revolution: 29
• Evidence of the Change in Analytical Chemistry: 30
• From Separation and Manufacture to Identification and Control: 36
• A Crisis of Identity: 39
• Ralph Mullers Science of Instrumentation: 42
• The Instrumentation Transformation in Analytical Chemistry and Scientific Revolutions: 46
• The Fourth Big Revolution: 49
• Notes and References: 53
• The Role of Physical Instrumentation in Structural Organic Chemistry in the Twentieth Century: 57
• Early Responses to the New Instrumental Technology: 58
• Classical Methods: 59
• Evolution of Chemical Instrumentation: 61
• Development of Xray Methods: 62
• Ultraviolet and Infrared Spectroscopy: 65
• Woodward Rules: 68
• Octant Rule: 69
• Mass Spectroscopy: 70
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: 73
• Promotion of Physical Methods Through Publications: 77
• Conclusion: 80
• Notes and References: 82
• Instrument Development in Social Economic and Political Context: 85
• Then and Now: 87
• The Place of Chemistry: 95
• The Ultracentrifuge: 96
• Origins and Evolution of Researchtechnology: 99
• Researchtechnology in the US: 101
• Components of Researchtechnology: 103
• Interstitiality: 104
• What About Chemistry Instrumentation?: 105
• The Case of Interactive Molecular Graphics: 106
• Conclusion: 109
• Notes and References: 110
• Adam Hilger Ltd and the Development of Spectrochemical Analysis: 111
• Spectrum Analysis Before the First World War: 112
• Adam Hilger Ltd: 114
• Blackboxing the Spectroscope: 116
• Inventing the Routine: 120
• Routines Adopted: 123
• Conclusion: 125
• Notes and References: 126
• Histories of Baird Associates: 129
• A History of Devices: 131
• A History of Company Culture and Conflict: 135
• As a History of Social Networks: 138
• A History of Financing: 140
• Ideas of Science Technology and Culture: 142
• Notes and References: 146
• Production Control Instruments in the Chemical and Process Industries: 149
• Background: 150
• Understanding the Control Problem: 151
• Development of Theoretical Understanding: 154
• Consolidation 19401955: 156
• Electronics: 158
• Digital Computers: 160
• Conclusion: 163
• Notes and References: 165
• Impact of Instrumentation on Chemistry: 169
• The Influence of the Second Chemical Revolution: 171
• Technology and the Advancement of Science: 173
• The Affect from the Second Chemical Revolution: 174
• Use of Instruments and Construction of Concepts: 178
• The Showcase and Approval by the Peers: 181
• The Location of Instruments in the Practice of Chemistry: 183
• Conclusion: 185
• Acknowledgment: 186
• The Impact of Instrumentation on Chemical Species Identity From Chemical Substances to Molecular Species: 188
• Historical Steps Towards Canonical Substance Characterisation: 190
• Canonical Characterisation of New Substances: 191
• Support from Chemical Structure Theory: 193
• The Social Side of Substance Identity Claims: 194
• Introductory Remarks: 196
• The Rise of Spectroscopic Characterisation Since 1950: 197
• Parallel Changes: 200
• Towards Spectroscopic Substance Identity: 201
• The Structure Determination Approach: 202
• From Substance Identity to Molecular Species Identity: 203
• Conclusion: 206
• Acknowledgements: 208
• R B Woodward and the Reification of Chemical Structures: 212
• The Second Revolution: 215
• Conclusion: 224
• Notes and References: 225
• Mass Spectrometry and Structural Organic Chemistry: 229
• Use of Mass Spectrometry in the Petroleum and Chemical Industries: 231
• Klaus Biemann at MIT: 235
• Carl Djerassi at Stanford University: 240
• Acknowledgements: 244
• Impact of Instrumentation on Biomedical and Environmental Sciences: 249
• Reflections on the Role of Researchtechnology in the History of Science: 251
• The Invention of the ECD and its Dissemination to New Contexts of Use: 252
• Instrumentation in Environmental Analysis: 252
• Instruments of Separation in the Life Sciences: 253
• Conclusion: 254
• Notes and References: 255
• The Development of the Electron Capture Detector and its Impact on the Monitoring of DDT: 257
• The Place: 258
• Feeling the Draught: 260
• Saving the Hamster: 261
• Finding the Peaks: 264
• Creating the Electron Capture Detector: 265
• Finding a Molecule in a Billion: 270
• Worrying about Pollution: 274
• Instrumentation in Environmental Analysis 19351975: 283
• American Cyanamid and Infrared Spectrophotometry: 284
• American Cyanamid and Ultraviolet Spectrophotometry: 288
• Instrumental Analysis of Halocarbons: 289
• Gas Chromatography: 290
• Detection Limits and Detectors: 292
• Polluted Waters: 293
• Pesticides: 297
• PCBs: 300
• The Impact of Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Techniques on Biochemistry and Life Sciences: 307
• Paper and ThinLayer Chromatography: 308
• Paper Agar Starch and PAGE Electrophoresis: 312
• An Automatic Recording Apparatus and Other Machines: 315
• Haemoglobins or Human Genetics and the Competition Between Separation Techniques: 318
• The Romantic Period in the Study of Genetic Variations: 321
• Conclusions: 324
• Notes and References: 325
• Index: 331

Bibliographic information

• Title: From Classical to Modern Chemistry: The Instrumental Revolution
• Editors: Peter J. T. Morris, Peter John Turnbull Morris, Royal Society of Chemistry (Great Britain)
• Contributor: Science Museum (Great Britain)
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2002
• ISBN: 0854044795, 9780854044795
• Length: 347 pages
• Subjects: Science / Chemistry / Analytic; Science / Chemistry / Clinical; Science / Chemistry / General; Science / History; Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects