William Zisman
Encyclopedia
Dr. William Albert Zisman (1905–1986) was an American chemist and geophysicist.
He was born in Albany, NY and spent his youth in Providence, RI up to the age of 14 when his family moved to Washington, DC. He earned his BS and MS degrees in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. He began his career working as a research assistant to Nobel Prize
winner P. W. Bridgman at Harvard University
. He earned his PhD while at Harvard in 1932 and continued on as a post-doc studying high pressure problems relating to the Earth's core. During this point in his career he began to follow in the footsteps of Langmuir
, Rideal, and Harkins. Research funds were limited during the Great Depression
and so Zisman returned to Washington, DC and held various administrative jobs for government agencies that were born during the New Deal
era.
Zisman returned to science in 1938 when he quit his job in Washington for a year and personally financed a year of study in the laboratory of the late Dr. Roy Goranson at the Carnegie
Geophysical Laboratory. The following year he successfully lobbied for a research program in surface chemistry and was hired to steer that program at the Naval Research Lab, later heading up the entire Chemistry Division. "Surface Chemistry was his abiding interest and everyone in the division was trained to be aware of the various interactions that can be involved in diverse natural systems." said Patrick J. Hannan, who worked under Zisman in the Chemistry Division.
While at NRL, Dr. Zisman developed the vibrating condenser method of measuring contact potential, a method that has been widely used since then. In fact, he did his master's thesis on this topic at MIT. He also did significant work on oils and during the war he made many important observations that led to the development of synthetic lubricants
and additives. Perhaps no one of his era made greater contributions to the vast collection of excellent data on contact angle
, wettability, surface tension
, and adhesion
. In 1954 he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. In 1963 he received the Kendall Award from the American Chemical Society
for his vast contributions to surface science
. In 1964 he was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award from the Secretary of Defense. In 1965 Clarkson College of Technology
awarded Dr. Zisman with an Honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 1968 he was awarded the Office of Naval Research's Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award
.
He was the author of over 100 publications and held 39 patents, 10 of which are held by the US Navy. He also authored Zisman's Plot method which is incorporated in ramé-hart DROPimage software. Among his greatest inventions is the NRL Contact Angle Goniometer which has been manufactured by ramé-hart instrument co., Netcong, NJ, for over 40 years.
He was born in Albany, NY and spent his youth in Providence, RI up to the age of 14 when his family moved to Washington, DC. He earned his BS and MS degrees in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. He began his career working as a research assistant to Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner P. W. Bridgman at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He earned his PhD while at Harvard in 1932 and continued on as a post-doc studying high pressure problems relating to the Earth's core. During this point in his career he began to follow in the footsteps of Langmuir
Irving Langmuir
Irving Langmuir was an American chemist and physicist. His most noted publication was the famous 1919 article "The Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms and Molecules" in which, building on Gilbert N. Lewis's cubical atom theory and Walther Kossel's chemical bonding theory, he outlined his...
, Rideal, and Harkins. Research funds were limited during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and so Zisman returned to Washington, DC and held various administrative jobs for government agencies that were born during the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
era.
Zisman returned to science in 1938 when he quit his job in Washington for a year and personally financed a year of study in the laboratory of the late Dr. Roy Goranson at the Carnegie
Carnegie Institution for Science
The Carnegie Institution for Science is an organization in the United States established to support scientific research....
Geophysical Laboratory. The following year he successfully lobbied for a research program in surface chemistry and was hired to steer that program at the Naval Research Lab, later heading up the entire Chemistry Division. "Surface Chemistry was his abiding interest and everyone in the division was trained to be aware of the various interactions that can be involved in diverse natural systems." said Patrick J. Hannan, who worked under Zisman in the Chemistry Division.
While at NRL, Dr. Zisman developed the vibrating condenser method of measuring contact potential, a method that has been widely used since then. In fact, he did his master's thesis on this topic at MIT. He also did significant work on oils and during the war he made many important observations that led to the development of synthetic lubricants
Synthetic oil
Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds that are artificially made . Synthetic lubricants can be manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil, but can also be synthesized from other raw materials...
and additives. Perhaps no one of his era made greater contributions to the vast collection of excellent data on contact angle
Contact angle
The contact angle is the angle at which a liquid/vapor interface meets a solid surface. The contact angle is specific for any given system and is determined by the interactions across the three interfaces. Most often the concept is illustrated with a small liquid droplet resting on a flat...
, wettability, surface tension
Surface tension
Surface tension is a property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. It is revealed, for example, in floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects to run on the water surface...
, and adhesion
Adhesion
Adhesion is any attraction process between dissimilar molecular species that can potentially bring them in close contact. By contrast, cohesion takes place between similar molecules....
. In 1954 he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. In 1963 he received the Kendall Award from the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
for his vast contributions to surface science
Surface science
Surface science is the study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases, including solid–liquid interfaces, solid–gas interfaces, solid–vacuum interfaces, and liquid-gas interfaces. It includes the fields of surface chemistry and surface physics. Some related...
. In 1964 he was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award from the Secretary of Defense. In 1965 Clarkson College of Technology
Clarkson University
-The Clarkson School:The Clarkson School, a special division of Clarkson University, was founded in 1978 as a unique educational opportunity. The School offers students an early entrance opportunity into college, replacing the typical senior year of high school with a year of college...
awarded Dr. Zisman with an Honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 1968 he was awarded the Office of Naval Research's Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award
Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award
The Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award is an award presented annually to the individual making an outstanding contribution in naval research and development.- Background:...
.
He was the author of over 100 publications and held 39 patents, 10 of which are held by the US Navy. He also authored Zisman's Plot method which is incorporated in ramé-hart DROPimage software. Among his greatest inventions is the NRL Contact Angle Goniometer which has been manufactured by ramé-hart instrument co., Netcong, NJ, for over 40 years.
External links
- Concise biography of Dr. William Zisman ramé-hart instrument co. Newsletter September 2009