Biographical Memoirs Volume 87 (2005) / Chapter Skim
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Herman Samuel Bloch
Herman Samuel Bloch
Pages 110-129
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From page 111... ...
Julius Stieglitz as his thesis advisor. After receiving his doctorate he joined Universal Oil Products Co., a research company specializing in the development of refining processes and products for the petroleum industry.
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From page 112... ...
After going through a period of diversifications and acquisitions in the 1960s and 1970s, UOP was subsequently acquired by Signal Companies, which merged in the early 1980s with Allied Company to form Allied Signal. In 1988 the refining and petrochemicals process unit was spun off and combined with the catalysts and absorbents unit of Union Carbide to form a new "UOP," jointly owned by Allied Signal and Union Carbide.
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From page 113... ...
A fundamental achievement of UOP research scientists was their understanding of the role of acid catalysis in initiating the full range of hydrocarbon reactions leading to the formation of a higher grade and yield of gasoline. This represented one of the first examples of the use of what was then called carbonium ion chemistry -- now called carbocation chemistry -- in a practical way to form useful products.
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From page 114... ...
Among UOP scientists who carried out critical work on solution acidity that supported this analogy were Louis Schmerling and Herman Pines, both of whom went on to receive American Chemical Society awards for their work. UOP scientists pioneered in the development of catalysts whose surfaces had been modified to increase acidity by the addition of trace amounts of noble metals.
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From page 115... ...
A single platforming unit, attached to a Udex unit, produced more aromatics during a relatively short period of time than were obtained from coal during the entire period of World War II. If left in the gasoline fraction, the aromatics led to significant improvements in the overall octane ratings, as mentioned earlier.
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From page 116... ...
The linear paraffins could be selectively dehydrogenated by a process, developed by Bloch and his associates, called the Pacol process, to give the desired straight chain primary olefins. Herman was also involved in the development of the process by which benzene was alkylated with linear olefins to produce alkylbenzenes.
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From page 117... ...
1. Hydrotreated kerosene or other paraffinic feedstocks are fed to a molecular sieve unit for separation of normal from branched paraffins (UOP Molex Process)
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From page 118... ...
So, when the exhaust gas from automobile engines was found to be a major contributor to smog and that a major component of exhaust gas was unburned hydrocarbons, it was natural that Herman would consider the possibility of using UOP catalysts in a post-engine device for the cleanup of engine exhaust. Herman led the team that focused on the development of such a catalytic device.
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From page 119... ...
Earlier I mentioned that when Herman came to Universal Oil Products, he joined a research group at the Riverside laboratory that was conducting fundamental research on the chemistry of hydrocarbons. On November 15, 1995, the laboratory was designated as a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society.
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From page 120... ...
The legislation has been critical ever since to the nation's environmental protection program. While Herman was a member of the ACS Council in the 1950s, he became very troubled by the fact that when meetings of the society were held in Southern cities, the society abided by the laws and customs of the region, and minority members were not allowed to stay in hotels or meet in function rooms where committee meetings were held.
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From page 121... ...
As a dedicated and committed chemist, he gave a significant amount of time and effort to the American Chemical Society, first and foremost. But he also was a member of the American Institute of Chemists, the Catalysis Society, the Chicago Chemists Club, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Society of Chemical Industry, and the Illinois and New York academies of science.
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From page 122... ...
For his civic work he received many community service awards, including the University of Chicago's Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service. For the State of Illinois he served as chair of the physical sciences section of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
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From page 123... ...
First, the award is intended to recognize the achievements of chemists and chemical engineers who made outstanding contributions to science while working in industry, as did Herman Bloch; second, the award is meant to promote creative dialog between academic and industrial researchers. There is no doubt that the lecture has succeeded in achieving its stated purposes.
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From page 124... ...
Thanks very much to Bipin Vora for the information on biogradable detergents, Tamo Imai for general information about the period during which he worked for Bloch, and to George Lester for assembling much of the material that served as the basis for this memoir, as well as continued consultation and encouragement. Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to mention Shirley Cornelious, Jo Ann Boston, and Kay Kim of the UOP Technical Information Center.
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From page 125... ...
2. A National Historic Chemical Landmark, Riverside Laboratory, UOP, McCook, Ill., November 15, 1995.
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From page 126... ...
Separation of branched chain hydrocarbon from mixtures containing cyclic and straight chain components.
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From page 127... ...
21, 1962. Method of catalytically purifying exhaust gases of internal combustion engines and regenerating the lead contaminated catalyst.
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From page 128... ...
Presented as acceptance address, Eugene Houdry Award in Applied Catalysis. Catalysis Society Meeting, Rice University, Houston, Tex.
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