| Graham, Thomas (b. 1805, Glasgow, Scotland
d. 1869, Eng.), British chemist often referred to as "the father of
colloid chemistry."
Educated in Scotland, Graham persisted in
becoming a chemist, though his father disapproved and withdrew his
support. He then made his living by writing and teaching. Graham's first
important paper dealt with the diffusion of gases. He developed
"Graham's law" of the diffusion rate of gases and also found
that the relative rates of the effusion of gases are comparable to the
diffusion rates
In 1835 he reported on the properties of
the water of crystallization in hydrated salts; he also obtained definite
compounds of salts and alcohol, the "alcoholates," analogues of
the hydrates. In his final paper he described palladium hydride, the first
known instance of a solid compound formed from a metal and a gas.
Click
here to learn more
in the booklet "Memoir of Thomas Graham"
By Professor J. P. Cooke (1879) (pdf)
The Life and Works
of Thomas Graham, D.O.L, F.E.S.
Illustrated by 64 unpublished letters by Dr. R. Angus Smith, LL.D., F.R.S.
Edited by J. J. Coleman, F.I.C., F.C.S. (1884) (pdf) |
