!!!Auer von Welsbach, Carl Freiherr

b. Vienna, Sept. 1, 1858, 
d. Welsbach Castle (municipality of Moelbing, Carinthia), Aug. 4, 
1929, chemist; son of Alois  Auer von Welsbach. A. was the first to 
isolate the didymium elements neodymium and praseodymium, both of the 
rare earth group. He found that a fabric impregnated with a mixture of 
thorium nitrate and cerium nitrate could be made into a mantle that 
glowed brightly when heated by a gas flame. Patented in 1891, the 
Welsbach mantle ("Auer Gluehstrumpf") greatly improved gas lighting. 
His highly successful gaslights were produced in Atzgersdorf (then in 
Lower Austria, today part of Vienna's 23rd district). Later on, A. 
introduced the first metallic filament for incandescent lamps by using 
osmium and tungsten which paved the way for the modern light bulb. In 
addition, A. also developed misch metal, a mixture of cerium and other 
rare earths, which he combined with iron to make Auer's metal, to make 
sparks used in lighters. For processing thorium and cerium he 
established the Treibach Chemical Works ( Treibacher Industrie AG) in 
1898.

!Literature
F. Sedlacek, A. v. W., 1934; Treibacher Chem. Werke, 1980; 
H. Auer-Welsbach, Die Erfindungen des Dr. C. A. v. W., master's 
thesis, Graz 1992; NDB; NOeB; OeBL.



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