| Birth date | 19 March 1877 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Freiburg, Baden, Germany |
| Death date | 1 December 1947 (aged 70) |
| Death place | Munich, Germany |
| Work institution | Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Coal Research |
| Alma mater | University of Gießen |
| Doctoral advisor | Karl Elbs |
| Known for | Fischer–Tropsch process Fischer assay |
| Prizes | Melchett Medal (1936) Wilhelm Exner Medal (1936) |
Franz Joseph Emil Fischer (19 March 1877 in Freiburg im Breisgau – 1 December 1947 in Munich) was a German chemist. He was the founder and first director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Coal Research. He is known for the discovery of the Fischer–Tropsch process.[1]
Career
In 1925, he and Hans Tropsch discovered the Fischer–Tropsch process. This allowed for the production of liquid hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and hydrogen with metal catalyst at temperatures of 150–300 °C (302–572 °F).
In 1930, he and Hans Schrader developed the Fischer assay, a standardized laboratory test for determining the oil yield from oil shale to be expected from a conventional shale oil extraction.[2] He also worked with Wilhelm Ostwald and Hermann Emil Fischer.[3] In 1913, he became the Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim.
He joined the Nazi Party in 1933, and remained in office until his retirement in 1943.
Awards
- Wilhelm Exner Medal, 1936
References
- ^ Pichler, Helmut (1967). "Franz Fischer 1877–1947". Chemische Berichte. 100 (6): CXXVII-CLVII. doi:10.1002/cber.19671000642
- ^ Heistand, Robert N. (1976). "The Fischer Assay, standard method?". San Francisco: Symposium on oil shale, tar sands, and related materials — production and utilization of synfuels. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Chemist biographies". Archived from the original on 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2006-12-17.