Landmarks Timeline - American Chemical Society

6/10/2019 Landmarks Timeline - American Chemical Society
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Landmarks Timeline
Click the years to check out the history of chemistry
1600 1700 1800 1900
1607 1600
Chemistry at Jamestown
Colonists begin mining, botanical collection, and manufacturing at Jamestown, the first successful English
settlement in the Americas.
1772 1700
The Chemical Revolution

Lavoisier proves the chemical composition of water using the quantitative method; the phlogistic theory is
abandonded in favor of modern methods.
1774
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/landmarks-timeline.html 1/27
Landmarks Timeline
Discovery
Click the years ofthe
to check out Oxygen
history of chemistry
1600
English chemist Joseph Priestley discovers1700
that air is 1800
a mixture of1900
gases, among them the colorless and
highly reactive gas we now know as oxygen.
1846 1800
Multiple Effect Evaporator

Norbert Rillieux invents the multiple effect evaporator in feat of chemical engineering that revolutionized
the sugar processing industry.
1854
First Commercial Oil Refinery

Samuel Kier establishes the world's first commercial still for refining crude oil into kerosene and works to
develop a clean-burning kerosene lamp.
1859
Landmarks Timeline
First Commercial Oil Well
Edwin Drake drills the world’s first oil well in Titusville, setting western Pennsylvania as the undisputed
1600
center1700 1800
of the early 1900
oil industry.
1869
Development of Baking Powder

Eben Horsford and the Rumford Chemical Works produce the first true, all-in-one baking powder, making
baking easier, quicker and more reliable.
1876
John W. Draper
Pioneering photographer and photochemist John W. Draper is elected as the first president of the newly-
established American Chemical Society.
1876
Landmarks
Thomas Timeline
Edison's Menlo Park Lab
Edison opens his Menlo Park
Click thelaboratory whereout
years to check he the
could buildofanything
history from a ladies watch to a
chemistry
locomotive. 1600 1700

Here Edison’s 1800
phonograph 1900
and light bulb were born.
1885
Chandler Lab at Lehigh University

The William H. Chandler Chemistry Laboratory opens. Its novel design revolutionizes chemical education
and sets a new standard for laboratory construction.
1886
Production of Aluminum
Charles Martin Hall produces aluminum by electrochemistry, turning aluminum from a semiprecious metal
into the familiar material we know today.
1887
Thomas Edison's West Orange Lab

Landmarks Timeline
Edison opens his West Orange, N.J., laboratory. The complex is the world’s most advanced and serves as
a model for future corporate research labs.
1600 1700 1800 1900
1887
Rachel Lloyd, Pioneer Chemist

Lloyd becomes the first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry. Her work contributes to sugar
beet cultivation across the Midwest.
1888
Production of Aluminum
The Pittsburgh Reduction Company is formed to employ C. M. Hall’s 1886 invention of producing
aluminum by electrochemistry.
1891
Landmarks
Production ofTimeline
Bromine
H. H. Dow produces bromine from brine. His business marks a breakthrough for American manufacturers
over European competitors.
1600 1700 1800 1900
1892
Production of Calcium Carbide and Acetylene

The electric-arc process for producing calcium carbide and acetylene is discovered by accident when
Thomas Willson tries to make aluminum.
1895
Atomic Weight of Oxygen

E. W. Morley publishes a new value for the atomic weight of oxygen, setting a lasting standard and
providing insight into the atomic theory of matter.
1896
George Washington Carver

Landmarks Timeline
Carver joins the faculty of the Tuskegee Institute, launching a career dedicated to improving the livelihood
of check
Click the years to Southern
out farmers.
the history of chemistry
1600 1700 1800 1900
1896
Columbia Dry Cell Battery

The National Carbon Company develops the six-inch, 1.5 volt Columbia battery, the first sealed dry cell
battery mass-manufactured.
1897
Development of Occupational Medicine

Alice Hamilton comes to Chicago where she identifies occupational diseases plaguing workers in
dangerous trades.
1898
Havemeyer Hall
Landmarks Timeline
Havemeyer Hall at Columbia University is opened for research and teaching under the leadership of
renowned chemist Charles Frederick Chandler.
1600 1700 1800 1900

1900 1900
Organic Free Radicals

Moses Gomberg of the University of Michigan confirms the existence of an organic free radical,
challenging beliefs about the reactivity of carbon.
1901
Biomedical Research at Rockefeller Univ.

Rockefeller University is founded as the first U.S. institution devoted to biomedical research and the
molecular basis of life.
1901
NIST
The federal government’s first physical science research laboratory is founded to develop measurements
Landmarks Timeline
and standards that strengthen the U.S.
1600 1700 1800 1900

1902
Noyes Laboratory
Noyes Laboratory of Chemistry, named for chemistry department leader and noted ACS journal editor
William Albert Noyes, opens at the University of Illinois.
1905
Helium in Natural Gas

H. Cady and D. McFarland identify helium in a natural gas sample. Before this, helium was thought to be
one of the rarest elements on Earth.
1906
Separation of Rare Earth Elements

Charles James devises new techniques for separating rare earth elements, producing samples desired by
laboratories worldwide.
Landmarks Timeline
1907 1600 1700 1800 1900
Bakelite: The World’s First Synthetic Plastic

Leo Hendrik Baekeland produces a sample of Bakelite, the world’s first synthetic plastic, ushering in a new
era of man-made materials.
1907
Chemical Abstracts Service

The first issue of 'Chemical Abstracts' appears. In time, CAS became a vital resource in the work of
chemical researchers worldwide.
1913
Mellon Institute
The Mellon Institute of Industrial Research is established to provide contract research services to industry
and train scientists in fundamental and applied research.
Landmarks Timeline
1918 1600 1700 1800 1900
Gilman Hall
Built to accommodate expanded teaching and research needs of the College of Chemistry, Gilman Hall at
the University of California, Berkeley, is inaugurated.
1921
UOP Riverside Laboratory

Universal Oil Products’ Riverside Laboratory is founded to research hydrocarbons and serve the growing
oil refining industry.
1927
Modern Analytical Chemistry

Modern Analytical Chemistry
I. M. Kolthoff, an international leader in the field of analytical chemistry, arrives at the University of
Minnesota.
Landmarks Timeline
1928 1600 1700 1800 1900
The Raman Effect

Indian scientist C. V. Raman makes an important observation about light scattering by liquids, identifying a
phenomenon now known as the Raman effect.
1928
Discovery of Penicillin
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin at St. Mary’s Hospital, which leads to the introduction of antibiotics
that have greatly reduced deaths from infection.
1928
Smith Memorial Collection

Edgar Fahs Smith, a three-time president of the ACS, leaves his world-class history of chemistry library to
the University of Pennsylvania.
Landmarks Timeline
1928 Click the years to check out the history of chemistry
1600 1700 1800 1900
Wetherill Laboratory
Work begins on Purdue University’s Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry, an important center for chemical
education and research in the United States.
1928
Wallace Carothers' Polymers

Carothers begins his pioneering studies of giant molecules, discovering the early synthetic materials
neoprene and nylon.
1928
Thomas Edison's Botanical Lab

Edison joins with Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone to establish the Edison Botanic Research Corporation
to investigate a domestic source of rubber.
Landmarks Timeline
1930 Click the years to check out the history of chemistry
1600 1700 1800 1900
Scotch Transparent Tape

3M introduces Scotch tape, the first waterproof adhesive tape. It soon becomes a necessity for budget-
minded households during the Great Depression.
1932
Savannah Pulp and Paper Lab

Charles Herty, an advocate for the growth of U.S. industries, founds a laboratory to develop commercial
uses for southern pine trees.
1935
Synthesis of Physostigmine
Percy Julian synthesizes physostigmine, making it readily available as a glaucoma treatment. It is the first
of Julian’s many achievements in natural products synthesis
of Julian s many achievements in natural products synthesis.
1935 Landmarks Timeline

1600 1700 1800 1900
Beckman pH Meter
A. O. Beckman markets a pH meter designed to measure the acidity of citrus fruits, an instant success in
the new field of electrical instrumentation.
1937
Houdry Process
The first full-scale catalytic cracker for producing gasoline from petroleum goes on-stream, improving the
octane rating and making today’s efficient gas engines possible.
1937
Discovery of Vitamin C
Albert Szent-Györgyi, a Hungarian biochemist, receives the Nobel Prize for his discoveries about the
biological importance of vitamin C.
1938
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900
Mexican Steroid Industry

Russell Marker begins research on a synthetic method for the production of progesterone, a key hormone
used in oral contraceptives.
1939
Development of Penicillin
Large-scale production of penicillin is undertaken in the U.S. during WWII through a collaboration of
pharmaceutical and governmental scientists.
1939
Selman Waksman and Antibiotics

Waksman and his team at Rutgers University begin a search for microbes that fight bacteria, discovering
the powerful antibiotic streptomycin.
1939
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900
Production of Nylon
DuPont begins commercial production of nylon, the first totally synthetic fiber to be made into consumer
products.
1941
Kem-Tone Wall Finish

Sherwin-Williams Company introduces the first successful waterborne wall paint and spurs the expansion
of 'do it yourself' painting following WWII.
1941
Deep-tank Fermentation
In a chemical engineering breakthrough, Pfizer opens the first large-scale penicillin production facility
using deep-tank fermentation.
1942
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900
Fluid Bed Reactor

The first commercial fluid bed reactor opens at the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, refinery of the Standard Oil
Company of New Jersey.
1942
U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program

Strategic nationwide research results in the production of the first bale of synthetic rubber, a critical
material for the U.S. during World War II.
1946
Polymer Research Institute

Herman Mark establishes PRI, the first academic facility in the U.S. devoted to the study and teaching of
polymer science.
1946
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900
Tide Detergent
Research by scientists at Procter & Gamble lead to the introduction of Tide®, the first heavy-duty synthetic
detergent, transforming the chore of laundry.
1946
Production and Distribution of Radioisotopes

Oak Ridge National Laboratory delivers the first radioisotope produced for peacetime pursuits like cancer
therapy and diagnostics.
1947
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Carl and Gerty Cori are awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for demonstrating the cycle of
carbohydrates, also known as the Cori cycle.
1948
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900
Frozen Foods
Researchers at the USDA begin studying frozen fruits, juices, and other products, developing
improvements in the quality and stability of frozen foods.
1951
Polypropylene and HDPE

While attempting to convert propylene into gasoline, Phillips Petroleum chemists discover polypropylene
and high-density polyethylene.
1953
Hermann Staudinger
Staudinger is awarded a Nobel Prize for his work on macromolecules, important to materials science and
bioscience.
1953
1953
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900

Acrylic Emulsion Technology
Using acrylic technology, Rohm and Hass introduces paints that are easier to prepare and perform better
than traditional paints.
1953
Flavor Chemistry Research

Keene Dimick builds an early gas chromatograph in the basement of a USDA lab to study the chemical
essence of strawberries.
1956
Diagnostic Test Strips

The first dip-and-read test for glucose is released, making an inexpensive and immediate means for
patients to monitor diabetes.
1957
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900

Radiation Chemistry
Cook, Meikle, and Muchmore found Raychem Corporation, applying the new science of radiation
chemistry to crosslink polymeric materials.
1957
Food Dehydration Technology

Instant potato flakes, developed at the USDA Eastern Regional Research Center, are introduced, making
a lasting impact on food processing.
1957
DayGlo Fluorescent Pigments

Scientists at Day-Glo Color Corp. receive a patent for producing daylight fluorescent pigments.
1958
Landmarks Timeline
1600 1700 1800 1900

Carbon Fibers
Roger Bacon demonstrates the first high performance carbon fibers, the strongest and stiffest materials by
weight known to man.
1960
Sohio Acrylonitrile Process

The first facility using the Sohio process to produce acrylonitrile, a key raw material for synthetic fiber and
plastics makers, opens.
1960
NMR Spectrometer
Varian Associates introduces the first nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, an indispensable tool for
chemists.
1960
Landmarks Timeline
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
1600
Charles Keeling reports an annual increase 1700 1800in the
in carbon dioxide 1900
Earth's atmosphere, research that will
become a cornerstone of climate science.
1961
Deciphering the Genetic Code

Nirenberg and Matthaei at the National Institutes of Health discover the key to breaking the genetic code.
Five years later, Nirenberg’s team deciphers DNA.
1962
Nobel Gas Chemistry

Neil Bartlett demonstrates the first reaction of a noble gas, previously thought to be inert. Bartlett’s
reaction begins the field of noble gas chemistry.
1962
Landmarks Timeline
Rachel
Click the yearsCarson’s
to check out 'Silent
the historySpring'
of chemistry
1600
Rachel Carson’s 'Silent Spring' is 1700
published. 1800
A landmark 1900
in modern environmentalism, the book sparked
debate about the effect of pesticides.
1966
Camptothecin and Taxol

Researchers at the Research Triangle Institute report the discovery of the life-saving anticancer agent
Camptothecin.
1969
Cotton Products Research

Ruth Benerito and colleagues at the USDA receive a patent for wrinkle-resistant cotton fabrics and
challenge synthetic fibers in the market.
1973
Landmarks Timeline
MRI Imaging
Paul Lauterbur announces Click the years of
the application to NMR
checkfor
outthe
thestudy
history of chemistry
of tissues 'in vivo'. His discovery results in
1600 1700 medial

the revolutionary 1800
device1900
MRI.
1976
Tagamet
Pioneering work by scientists at Smith Kline & French results in the introduction of cimetidine
(commercially known as Tagamet), revolutionizing the treatment peptic ulcers.
1983
Acetyl Chemicals from Coal

Eastman Chemical Company becomes the first manufacturer in the U.S. to use coal rather than petroleum
as a raw material in acetyl chemicals.
1985
Landmarks Timeline
Discovery of Fullerenes
Buckminsterfullerene is discovered by researchers at Rice University, opening new fields in organic
chemistry and materials science.
1600 1700 1800 1900
1992
Williams-Miles Collection
The Williams-Miles History of Chemistry Collection is established at Harding University, documenting
chemistry in the U.S. before 1900.
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6/10/2019 Landmarks Timeline - American Chemical Society

1600 1700 1800 1900

The Chemical Revolution

Multiple Effect Evaporator

First Commercial Oil Refinery

Development of Baking Powder

locomotive. 1600 1700

Chandler Lab at Lehigh University

Thomas Edison's West Orange Lab

Rachel Lloyd, Pioneer Chemist

Production of Calcium Carbide and Acetylene

Atomic Weight of Oxygen

George Washington Carver

1600 1700 1800 1900

Columbia Dry Cell Battery

Development of Occupational Medicine

1600 1700 1800 1900

Organic Free Radicals

Biomedical Research at Rockefeller Univ.

Click the years to check out the history of chemistry

1600 1700 1800 1900

Helium in Natural Gas

Separation of Rare Earth Elements

1907 1600 1700 1800 1900

Bakelite: The World’s First Synthetic Plastic

Chemical Abstracts Service

1918 1600 1700 1800 1900

UOP Riverside Laboratory

Modern Analytical Chemistry

1928 1600 1700 1800 1900

The Raman Effect

Smith Memorial Collection

1600 1700 1800 1900

Wallace Carothers' Polymers

Thomas Edison's Botanical Lab

to investigate a domestic source of rubber.

1600 1700 1800 1900

Scotch Transparent Tape

Savannah Pulp and Paper Lab

1935 Landmarks Timeline

1600 1700 1800 1900

1600 1700 1800 1900

Mexican Steroid Industry

Selman Waksman and Antibiotics

1600 1700 1800 1900

Kem-Tone Wall Finish

1600 1700 1800 1900

Fluid Bed Reactor

U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program

Polymer Research Institute

1600 1700 1800 1900

Production and Distribution of Radioisotopes

1600 1700 1800 1900

Polypropylene and HDPE

1600 1700 1800 1900

Flavor Chemistry Research

Diagnostic Test Strips

1600 1700 1800 1900

Food Dehydration Technology

DayGlo Fluorescent Pigments

1600 1700 1800 1900

Sohio Acrylonitrile Process

Deciphering the Genetic Code

Nobel Gas Chemistry