Friedrich Paneth
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Adolf Paneth was an Austria
n-born British
chemist. Fleeing the Nazis, he escaped to Britain and became a British citizen in 1939 but returned as director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
in 1953.
. He and his three brothers were brought up in Protestant faith although both parents were of Jewish descent. He was educated in the Schotten gymnasium a renowned school in Vienna. He studied chemistry at the University of Vienna
and after working with Adolf von Baeyer
at the University of Munich he received his PhD with Zdenko Hans Skraup
at the organic chemistry department of the University of Vienna in 1910.
He abandoned organic chemistry and joined the radiochemistry
group of Stefan Meyer
. In 1913 he visited Frederick Soddy
at the University of Glasgow
and Ernest Rutherford
at the University of Manchester
.
In this year he married Else Hartmann, they had a son and daughter. After his habilitation in 1913 he became assistant of Otto Hönigschmid
at the University of Prague
. From 1919 till 1933 he was professor in various German universities. (University of Hamburg
1919, Berlin University 1922, Königsberg University 1929).
In 1927, Paneth and Kurt Peters
published his results on the transformation of hydrogen
to helium
, now known as Cold fusion
. They later retracted the results, saying they had measured background helium from the air.
During Hitlers Machtergreifung
in 1933 he was on a lecture tour in England and did not return to Germany. In 1939 he became professor at the University of Durham
where he stayed until his retirement in 1953.
A call to become director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
in Mainz
made him return to Germany. He worked in the Institute until his death in 1958.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1947. The mineral Panethite
is named after him, as is the lunar crater Paneth
.
He was considered the greatest authority of his time on volatile hydride
s, and also made important contributions to the study of the stratosphere
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n-born British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
chemist. Fleeing the Nazis, he escaped to Britain and became a British citizen in 1939 but returned as director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
The Max Planck Institute for Chemistry is a scientific research institute under the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.Basic research in chemistry and related subjects is carried out at the four departments of the institute. The departments are independently led by their Directors.-The departments:The...
in 1953.
Life and Education
Friedrich Adolf Paneth was born as son of the physiologist Joseph PanethJoseph Paneth
Joseph Paneth was an Austrian physiologist from Vienna. He was a professor at the Universities of Breslau and Vienna. He was the father of chemist Friedrich Adolf Paneth ....
. He and his three brothers were brought up in Protestant faith although both parents were of Jewish descent. He was educated in the Schotten gymnasium a renowned school in Vienna. He studied chemistry at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
and after working with Adolf von Baeyer
Adolf von Baeyer
Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer was a German chemist who synthesized indigo, and was the 1905 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Born in Berlin, he initially studied mathematics and physics at Berlin University before moving to Heidelberg to study chemistry with Robert Bunsen...
at the University of Munich he received his PhD with Zdenko Hans Skraup
Zdenko Hans Skraup
Zdenko Hans Skraup was a Czech Austrian chemist who discovered the Skraup reaction, the first quinoline synthesis.-Life:...
at the organic chemistry department of the University of Vienna in 1910.
He abandoned organic chemistry and joined the radiochemistry
Radiochemistry
Radiochemistry is the chemistry of radioactive materials, where radioactive isotopes of elements are used to study the properties and chemical reactions of non-radioactive isotopes...
group of Stefan Meyer
Stefan Meyer (physicist)
Stefan Meyer was an Austrian physicist involved in research on radioactivity. He became director of the Institute for Radium Research in Vienna and received the Lieben Prize in 1913 for his research on radium...
. In 1913 he visited Frederick Soddy
Frederick Soddy
Frederick Soddy was an English radiochemist who explained, with Ernest Rutherford, that radioactivity is due to the transmutation of elements, now known to involve nuclear reactions. He also proved the existence of isotopes of certain radioactive elements...
at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS was a New Zealand-born British chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics...
at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
.
In this year he married Else Hartmann, they had a son and daughter. After his habilitation in 1913 he became assistant of Otto Hönigschmid
Otto Hönigschmid
Otto Hönigschmid was a Czech/Austrian chemist.-Education:Hönigschmid studied at the gymnasium in Olomouc, then at the Charles University in Prague under the guidance of Guido Goldschmiedt .-Work:Hönigschmid worked in Paris under Henri Moissan and at Harvard University under...
at the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
. From 1919 till 1933 he was professor in various German universities. (University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
1919, Berlin University 1922, Königsberg University 1929).
In 1927, Paneth and Kurt Peters
Kurt Peters (chemist)
Kurt Karl Gustav Peters was an Austrian chemist. His work focused on the area of fuel technology, physical chemistry and catalytic reactions as well as the separation of rare gases and hydrocarbons.- History :...
published his results on the transformation of hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
to helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
, now known as Cold fusion
Cold fusion
Cold fusion, also called low-energy nuclear reaction , refers to the hypothesis that nuclear fusion might explain the results of a group of experiments conducted at ordinary temperatures . Both the experimental results and the hypothesis are disputed...
. They later retracted the results, saying they had measured background helium from the air.
During Hitlers Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
in 1933 he was on a lecture tour in England and did not return to Germany. In 1939 he became professor at the University of Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
where he stayed until his retirement in 1953.
A call to become director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
The Max Planck Institute for Chemistry is a scientific research institute under the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.Basic research in chemistry and related subjects is carried out at the four departments of the institute. The departments are independently led by their Directors.-The departments:The...
in Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
made him return to Germany. He worked in the Institute until his death in 1958.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1947. The mineral Panethite
Panethite
Panethite 222 is a rare phosphate mineral that was only found in one meteorite on Earth. It was originally found in the Dayton meteorite in Ohio. It is classified as H-M Symbol with space group of P 21/n. It is amber in color...
is named after him, as is the lunar crater Paneth
Paneth (crater)
Paneth is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northwestern limb. It lies just to the north-northeast of the crater Smoluchowski, and to the east-southeast of Boole on the near side....
.
Career
- Assistant in Institute for Radium ResearchInstitute for Radium Research, ViennaThe Institute for Radium Research was an Austrian research institute associated with the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna. The Institute's researchers won multiple Nobel Prizes...
attached to Austrian Academy of SciencesAustrian Academy of SciencesThe Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
, Vienna, 1912 - Assistant professor, University of HamburgUniversity of HamburgThe University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
, 1919 - Head of inorganic department of chemical institute, Berlin University, 1922
- Head of chemical institute, Königsberg University, 1929
- Reader in atomic chemistry, Imperial College LondonImperial College LondonImperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, 1938; among his assistants was Eugen GlueckaufEugen GlueckaufEugen Glueckauf was a German-born British expert on nuclear power.After an education at the Technische Hochschule, Berlin, he escaped from the Nazis to London... - Professor of chemistry, University of DurhamDurham UniversityThe University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, 1939 - Head of chemistry division of joint British-CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
atomic energy team in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, 1943-5 - Returned to Durham and established Londonderry Laboratory for radio-chemistry, heading it until retirement, 1953
He was considered the greatest authority of his time on volatile hydride
Hydride
In chemistry, a hydride is the anion of hydrogen, H−, or, more commonly, a compound in which one or more hydrogen centres have nucleophilic, reducing, or basic properties. In compounds that are regarded as hydrides, hydrogen is bonded to a more electropositive element or group...
s, and also made important contributions to the study of the stratosphere
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. It is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. This is in contrast to the troposphere near the Earth's surface, which is cooler...
.