History of Industrial Gases

1. History of Gases: Introduction.- Discoveries in England by Priestley, Black, Cavendish, and Rutherford.- Sweden and Scheele.- It All Begins with Ancient Theories and Alchemy.- Paracelsus and Hydrogen Gas.- The Defense of Alchemy.- What Happened to the Newly Discovered Gases and Their Discoverers?.- The Liquefaction of Gas.- References.- 2. From Aristotle to the Birth of Modern Chemistry.- 2.1. From Aristotle to the Birth of Pneumatic Chemistry.- 2.2. The Discovery of Gases and the True Nature of Combustion.- 2.3. Biographies of the Early Pioneers in the Study of Gases.- 3. Industrial Gases: Background.- 3.1. Hydrogen: The Gas That Had a Flying Start.- 3.2. Oxygen: “Fire Air”.- 3.3. Nitrogen: “Rotten Air” and Its Challenges.- 3.4. Carbon Dioxide: Spiritus Sylvestre.- 3.5. Acetylene: The Gas That Triggered the Industrial Gas Business.- 3.6. The Noble Gases: An Inactive Family of Great Importance.- 4. The Development of Industrial Gas Technology.- 4.1. Liquefaction of Gases.- 4.2. The Path to Absolute Zero. Superconductivity.- 4.3. Development of the Production of Air Gas (1910—Ca. 1975).- 4.4. Equipment for Distribution and Storage of Gas.- 4.5. Production: Alternative Gas Separation Methods.- 5. Development of the Industrial Gas Business.- 5.1. Liquid Carbonic.- 5.2. Linde AG.- 5.3. Messer Griesheim.- 5.4. Air Liquide.- 5.5. AGA.- 5.6. British Oxygen.- 5.7. Praxair.- 5.8. Nippon Sanso.- 5.9. Air Products.- 6. Expansion of the Industrial Gas Business.- 6.1. Introduction: Origin of the Industrial Gas Business in Western Europe.- 6.2. Eastern and Central Europe.- 6.3. North America.- 6.4. South and Central America.- 6.5. Asia.- 6.6. Australia.- 6.7. Africa.- 6.8. The Development of the Modern Industrial Gas Business.- 7. How New Gas Applications wereDeveloped.- 7.1. Biology and Medicine.- 7.2. Welding and Cutting.- 7.3. Metallurgy and Combustion.- 7.4. Chemistry and the Environment.- 7.5. Energy and Fuel.- 7.6. Inerting and Cooling.- 7.7. Specialty Gases. High-Purity Gases.- 3.1. The Zeppelin Story.- 3.2. Drebbel’s Submarine.- The Lunar Society.- 3.3. Nitrogen as a raw Material for Gun Powder.- 3.4. Baths and Cures.- 3.4. Greenhouse Effect.- 3.5. Aluminum Manufacture and Its Impact on Acetylene Production.- The First Industrial Production of Calcium Carbide and Dissolved Acetylene.- 4.1. A Success Story that Ended in a Personal Disaster.- The Liquid Helium Race.- Cryoliquids.- 7.1. The Pneumatic Institute of Bristol.- The First Uses of Oxygen Cutting.- Institutional Index.- Name Index.