!!!Zsigmondy, Richard

b. Vienna, April 1, 1865, 
d. Goettingen (Germany), Sept. 23, 1929, chemist, Nobel Prize 
laureate; brother of Emil  Zsigmondy. Outstanding researcher in the 
fields of colloid chemistry and microscopy; awarded the Nobel Prize in 
1926 (for 1925) for proving the heterogeneous nature of colloids and 
for applying new research methods which today form the basis of 
colloid chemistry. Private assistant in Munich in 1889 and in Berlin 
from 1890 to 1892; 1893 assistant at Graz University of Technology, 
where he wrote his habilitation. At that time he already dealt with 
gold ruby glass and ceramic colours in his search for glass staining 
methods. While employed at the Schott glassworks in Jena from 1897 to 
1900, he developed a number of different kinds of stained glass, as 
well as the famous Jena milk glass, and took out various technological 
patents. From 1900 to 1907 lived as a private scientist in Jena before 
he retired with his whole family to his home at Terlago near Trento. 
From 1908 to 1929 was Professor at Goettingen University and head of 
its Department of Inorganic Chemistry.

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While living in Jena, Z. carried out his first basic research in the 
field of colloid chemistry. Together with the physicist H. F. W. 
Siedentopf he invented an ultramicroscope based on the dark contrast 
method. By way of improving this microscope, he developed the 
immersion ultramicroscope in 1913, with which he was able to make 
particles the size of a millionth of a millimetre visible. In 
addition, Z. introduced a system of particles classified according to 
their size which can be found in fluids and in solid matter (e.g. in 
precious stones). He called them microns, submicrons and amicrons 
(disperse particles too small to be seen even under his 
ultramicroscope). To make even amicrons visible under the microscope, 
he developed a special technique called silver enhancement.

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In Goettingen he revolutionized chemical research with his findings on 
the processes at work during the coagulation of colloids (the 
transition from fluid into colloidal matter). In 1918 invented the 
membrane filter and the ultrafilter. His studies strongly influenced 
the research carried out in the fields of biology and medicine, since 
they showed that protoplasm displayed the same characteristics and 
reactions as colloids.

!Publications
Zur Erkenntnis der Kolloide, 1905; Kolloidchemie mit 
bes. Beruecksichtigung der anorgan. Kolloide, 1907; Kolloidchemie, 
1912 (5th ed., 2 parts, 1925/1927); Ueber die technische Gasanalyse, 
1920 (with F. Jander); Ueber das kolloide Gold, 1925 (with A. 
Thiessen). - Festschrift, 1925.

!Literature
F. G. Smekal, Oe. Nobelpreistraeger, 1961; W. Martin, 
Verzeichnis der Nobelpreistraeger 1901-1987, %%sup 2/%1988.



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