The Early Early Years
Zozimus, the Alchemist, described the
reduction of copper from its solution by means of iron.
Paracelsus , the physician, describes coating copper and
iron by simple immersion in a silver solution.
Luigi Galvani discovered contact electricity.
Alexander Volta found the true cause of Galvani’s
discovery and discovered the voltaic pile ( a pile o f plates of dissimilar metals being
separated by moistened cardboard or felt.)
Nicholsom & Carlisle were the first to decompose water
into hydrogen and oxygen using a volta pile.
Wollaston found that if a piece of silver in contact with a
more positive metal such as zinc was immersed in copper solution, the silver would be
coated with copper and this coating would withstand burnishing.
Criukshank investigated the behavior of solutions of silver
nitrate, copper sulfate, lead acetate and several other metallic salts towards the
galvanic current and found that metals were completely reduced from their solutions by the
electric current.
Brugnatelli gave us the first practical results in
electrogilding. He gilded 2 silver metals, connecting them by means of copper wire with
them by means of copper wire with the negative pole of the pike and allowing them to dip
in a solution of fulminating gold in potassium cyanide, while a piece of metal was
suspended in the solution from the positive pole.
Humphry Davy decomposed potassium hydroxide and sodium
hydroxide by means of a powerful electric current he obtained the metals of potassium and
sodium.
Oersted of Copenhagen perceived that electricity must be in
a state of motion in order to act upon magnetism. This led to the construction of the
galvanometer where the intensity of the source of current may be recognized.
Ohm discovered he law named after him. The strength of a
continuous current is directly proportional to the difference of potential or
electromotive force in the circuit and inversely proportional the resistance of the
circuit.
Faraday’s discovery of electric induction.
Pixii of Paris constructed the first electro magnetic
induction machine.
Faraday Laws were laid down and proved.
Jacobi of Russia in the Spring of "38" made known
to the Academy of Sciences of St.Petersburg, the galvanoplastic process. (Electrotyping)
-He must be considered the father of the Electrotyping
process. He published in The English Periodical May 4, 1839.
Spencer on September 13 before The Liverpool Polytechnic
Society claimed priority of the electrotyping invention.
Jordan May 22 sent a letter to the London Mechanical
Magazine and published in June also claimed the invention.
Murray succeeded in making non metallic surfaces conductive
by the application of graphite. (Black lead, plumbago) which made copies of wood cuts,
plaster or paris casts, etc. possible.
Wright employed cyanide in making electrolytes of gold and
silver. Heavy deposits were now attainable.
Alfred Smee published his discoveries in depositing
antimony, platinum, gold, silver, lead, iron, copper and zinc. He originated the
appropriate term electro metallurgy for the process of working metals by means of
electrolysis.
Professor Boettger pointed out that dense deposits of
nickel could be attained from its double salt sulfate of nickel with sulfate of ammonium
solutions of sulfate of nickel. Such deposits because of their slight oxidablity, great
hardness and elegant appearance were capable of many applications. Boettger’s
statements fell into oblivion and only many years later when nickeling was taken up in the
US his efforts in the department were remembered in Germany.
De Ruolz succeeded in depositing metallic alloys from
solutions of mixed salts.
Moses Poole took out a patent for the use of thermo
electricity instead of using a batter for depositing purposes.
Montgomery sent to England samples of gutta-percha which
was suitable material for the production of negatives of the original models to be
reproduced by galvanoplasty.
Woodrych constructed the first magnetic machine to deposit
silver on a practical scale.
Christofle & Co. endeavored to replace their batteries
by magnetic electrical machines using the Holmes type known as the Alliance machine. It
did not prove satisfactory.
Antonie Pacenotti of Pisa had a modification of the
generator which still had many defects.
Siemens modification
Wheatstone modification
Gramme constructed the 1st useful generator. |
