Edward Acheson
N 40° 10.064 W 080° 14.693
17T E 564298 N 4446647
Historical Marker for chemist Edward Acheson.
Waymark Code: WM1BWR
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/28/2007
Views: 57
Edward Acheson was a chemist born in Washington, PA. He was the inventor of carborundum (a silicon carbide created by electronically fusing clay and carbon), and later a manufacturer of carborundum and graphite. He worked for Thomas Edison at his Menlo Park, New Jersey laboratory. Acheson experimented on making a conducting carbon that Edison could use in his electric light bulbs.
In 1884, Acheson left Edison and became supervisor at a plant competing to manufacture electric lamps. It was here he began his own experiments on methods for producing artificial diamonds in an electric furnace. He heated a mixture of clay and coke in an iron bowl with a carbon arc light and found some crystals (silicon carbide) attached to the carbon electrode.
In 1891 Acheson built an electricity plant in Port Huron and used the electricity to experiment with carborundum. On February 28, 1893, he received a patent on this abrasive. It is the second hardest surface next to diamond.
Throughout Acheson's life, he received 70 patents relating to abrasives, graphite products, reduction of oxides, and refractories. In 1997, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Marker test: The eminent American chemist was born in this house with the round corner, 1856. Was awarded many medals for his invention of carborundum, artificial graphite, and other valuable products of the electric furnace.
Marker Name: Edward Acheson
County: Washington
Date Dedicated: 08/01/1953
Marker Type: City
Location: SW corner of Main & Maiden Sts., Washington
Category: Invention, Medicine & Science, Professions & Vocations
Website: Not listed
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