Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner's Feuerzeug

摘要

Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner, born in 1780, wasthe Professor of Chemistry and Technology at the University ofJena, from 1810 to 1849. During this time he observed the actionof platinum black on hydrogen, which led to his invention of thepneumatic gas lighter (Feuerzeug) and to Berzelius' concept ofcatalysis, besides making other contributions to pure and appliedchemistry. On the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of hisdeath in 1849 a Festkolloquium was held to commemorate hiswork at the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena. Here wedescribe some aspects of has life and work.