33:
360:
Hall eventually became one of
Oberlin College's most prominent benefactors, and an aluminum statue of him exists on the campus. Because of its light weight, Hall's statue was once known for its frequent changes of location, often due to student pranks. Today the statue is glued to a large granite
243:
In 1884, after setting up a homemade coal-fired furnace and bellows in a shed behind the family home, Hall again tried to find a catalyst that would allow him to reduce aluminum with carbon at high temperatures: "I tried mixtures of alumina and carbon with barium salts, with cryolite, and with
231:
Hall's initial experiments in finding an aluminum reduction process were in 1881. He attempted, unsuccessfully, to produce aluminum from clay by smelting with carbon in contact with charcoal and potassium chlorate. He next attempted to improve the electrolytic methods previously established by
187:, where the first five of their eight children were born. They returned to Ohio in 1860, after the outbreak of the Civil War forced the closing of foreign missions. Charles Hall had two brothers and five sisters; one brother died in infancy. One of his sisters was chemist
317:
Hall continued his research and development for the rest of his life and was granted 22 US patents, most on aluminum production. He served on the
Oberlin College Board of Trustees. He retained powerful influence over the business decisions at Alcoa until his death.
321:
Hall died, unmarried and childless, on
December 27, 1914, twenty-one days after he had reached the age of 51, in Daytona, Florida. He was buried in Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin. He died the same year as HĂ©roult, and they both were born the same year.
251:
Hall had to fabricate most of his apparatus and prepare his chemicals, and was assisted by his older sister Julia
Brainerd Hall. The basic invention, which he discovered on February 23, 1886, involves passing an electric current through a bath of
210:
in preparation for college. During this time, he demonstrated his aptitude for chemistry and invention, carrying out experiments in the kitchen and the woodshed attached to his house. In 1880, at the age of 16, he enrolled at
Oberlin College.
194:
Hall began his education at home, and he was taught to read at an early age by his mother. At the age of six, he was using his father's 1840s college chemistry book as a reader. At age 8, he entered public school, and progressed rapidly.
223:, and remarked, "if anyone should invent a process by which aluminum could be made on a commercial scale, not only would he be a benefactor to the world, but would also be able to lay up for himself a great fortune".
951:
244:
carbonate of sodium, hoping to get a double reaction by which the final result would be aluminum. I remember buying some metallic sodium and trying to reduce cryolite, but obtained very poor results. I made some
214:
In his second term, Hall attended, with considerable interest, Oberlin
Professor Frank Fanning Jewett's lecture on aluminum; it was here that Jewett displayed the sample of aluminum he had obtained from
260:, which results in a puddle of aluminum forming in the bottom of the retort. On July 9, 1886, Hall filed for his first patent. This process was also discovered at nearly the same time by the Frenchman
183:
in 1847, and studied for three years at the
Oberlin Theological Seminary, where he met his future wife, Sophronia Brooks. They married in 1849, and the next ten years were spent in missionary work in
800:
286:
The Hall–Héroult process eventually resulted in reducing the price of aluminum by a factor of 200, making it affordable for many practical uses. By 1900, annual production reached about 8,000
279:. They formed the Reduction Company of Pittsburgh, which opened the first large-scale aluminum production plants. The Reduction Company later became the Aluminum Company of America, then
361:
block and sits more permanently on the second floor of
Oberlin's science center, where students continue to decorate Hall with appropriate trappings on holidays and other occasions.
1009:
151:
792:
1305:
372:, which includes a re-creation of Hall's 1886 woodshed experiment. The Hall House is also preserved in Oberlin, although the woodshed was demolished long ago.
155:
162:. Together they raised $ 20,000 to launch the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, which was later renamed Aluminum Company of America and then shortened to Alcoa.
428:
1083:
306:
976:
844:
154:, George Hubbard Clapp; Hunt's chief chemist, W. S. Sample; Howard Lash, head of the Carbon Steel Company; Millard Hunsiker, sales manager for the
346:
1039:
325:
In his last will and testament, Hall left the vast majority of his fortune to charity. His generosity contributed to the establishment of the
301:'s Dictionary of 1828. "Aluminium" was used widely in the United States until 1895 or 1900, and "aluminum" was not officially adopted by the
1108:
1017:
1290:
1285:
1275:
293:
Hall is sometimes suggested to be the originator of the
American spelling of "aluminum", but that spelling was used briefly by
176:
142:, which became the first metal to attain widespread use since the prehistoric discovery of iron. He was one of the founders of
49:
309:, only the spelling "aluminium" is now used. The spelling in virtually all other languages is analogous to the "-ium" ending.
587:
420:
462:
350:
701:
Craig, Norman C.; Bickert, Christian M. (1986). "Historical
Metallurgy: Hall and Heroult: The Men and their Invention".
929:
624:
1169:
1280:
1164:
1136:
349:
bestows, in 1911. In 1997, the production of aluminum by electrochemistry discovered by Hall was designated as a
338:
326:
305:
until 1925. Hall's early patents use the spelling "aluminium". In the United Kingdom and other countries using
329:, a leading foundation dedicated to advancing higher education in Asia in the humanities and social sciences.
138:, businessman, and chemist. He is best known for his invention in 1886 of an inexpensive method for producing
1075:
612:
290:(7.3 million kilograms). Today, more aluminum is produced than all other non-ferrous metals combined.
852:
265:
106:
1295:
500:
203:
220:
981:
354:
302:
1050:
175:
Charles Martin Hall was born to Herman Bassett Hall and Sophronia H. Brooks on December 6, 1863, in
272:
1194:
365:
382:
1243:
1159:
616:
159:
756:
577:
1300:
1270:
1265:
729:
720:
Craig, Norman C. (1986). "Charles Martin Hall – The Young man, his Mentor, and his Metal".
547:
398:
8:
1129:
188:
88:
1040:"A Brief Overview of the History of the Oberlin Historical and Improvement Organization"
733:
551:
216:
903:
826:
605:
248:
but found it very unpromising as a source of aluminum then as it has been ever since".
895:
685:
620:
583:
245:
237:
233:
1231:
1184:
891:
887:
737:
659:
555:
511:
294:
68:
986:
1215:
761:
207:
180:
261:
1122:
276:
147:
1259:
899:
199:
32:
1179:
921:
342:
298:
116:
1236:
907:
875:
793:"Oberlin College celebrates Charles Martin Hall's aluminum breakthrough"
663:
236:, again unsuccessfully. In his senior year, he attempted to electrolyze
516:
386:— C. M. Hall, applied 1886, granted 1889. TIFF Image of page from USPTO
741:
831:
World Wide Words: Investigating the English language across the globe
576:
Kass-Simon, Gabrielle; Farnes, Patricia; Nash, Deborah, eds. (1990).
559:
384:
Process of reducing aluminium from its fluoride salts by electrolysis
287:
257:
139:
135:
538:
Trescott, Martha M. (January 1977). "Julia B. Hall and Aluminum".
1189:
1174:
253:
184:
271:
After failing to find financial backing at home, Hall went to
1145:
501:"Hall and HĂ©roult and the Discovery of Aluminum Electrolysis"
280:
240:
in water, but was unable to produce aluminum at the cathode.
143:
134:(December 6, 1863 – December 27, 1914) was an American
607:
Chemical Achievers: The Human Face of the Chemical Sciences
1114:
16:
American inventor, businessman, and chemist (1863–1914)
345:, the highest award that the American section of the
926:
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations
575:
283:. Hall was a major stockholder, and became wealthy.
679:
677:
675:
673:
604:
421:"Production of Aluminum: The Hall–Héroult Process"
158:; and Robert Scott, a mill superintendent for the
851:. Aluminium Association of Canada. Archived from
845:"Do we say 'Aluminium' or 'Aluminum' in English?"
1257:
969:
670:
275:, where he made contact with noted metallurgist
874:Smith, George David; Pruitt, Bettye H. (1987).
652:Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
364:The Jewett home is preserved in Oberlin as the
1068:
582:. Indiana University Press. pp. 173–176.
1306:Members of the American Philosophical Society
1130:
191:(1859–1925), who helped him in his research.
713:
700:
415:
413:
1109:RG 30/182 – Charles Martin Hall (1863–1914)
873:
694:
297:in the early 1800s and was the spelling in
179:. Charles's father, Herman, graduated from
1137:
1123:
757:"The American Creator of the Aluminum Age"
494:
492:
490:
488:
31:
837:
515:
410:
232:investigating cheaper methods to produce
1010:"The Semi-precious Joy of a Campus Tour"
1001:
914:
820:
818:
786:
784:
645:
643:
596:
537:
456:
454:
452:
450:
448:
446:
368:. The center features an exhibit called
312:
824:
762:The World's Work: A History of Our Time
754:
683:
531:
485:
463:"Aluminum: Common Metal, Uncommon Past"
1258:
1086:from the original on February 22, 2015
825:Quinion, Michael (December 16, 2000).
602:
571:
569:
460:
1239:(former Alcoa corporate headquarters)
1118:
1007:
815:
803:from the original on January 28, 2015
790:
781:
719:
640:
579:Women of Science: Righting the Record
508:The Electrochemical Society Interface
443:
431:from the original on February 2, 2023
264:, and it has come to be known as the
1032:
498:
425:National Historic Chemical Landmarks
332:
566:
351:National Historic Chemical Landmark
202:, in 1873. He spent three years at
13:
932:from the original on June 16, 2023
791:Leise, Cindy (February 23, 2011).
14:
1317:
1170:Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals
1101:
499:Beck, Theodore R. (Summer 2014).
1080:Historic Preservation in Oberlin
1047:Oberlin Heritage Center web site
876:"The Rise of Alcoa Laboratories"
755:Oskison, John M. (August 1914).
370:Aluminum: The Oberlin Connection
1291:20th-century American inventors
1286:19th-century American inventors
1276:People from Geauga County, Ohio
1165:Alcoa Tenn Federal Credit Union
944:
867:
748:
690:. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Co.
985:. May 31, 2016. Archived from
892:10.1080/00345334.1987.11757023
684:Edwards, Junius David (1955).
339:American Philosophical Society
170:
1:
722:Journal of Chemical Education
540:Journal of Chemical Education
427:. American Chemical Society.
404:
152:Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory
1049:. April 2009. Archived from
613:Chemical Heritage Foundation
347:Society of Chemical Industry
226:
165:
7:
827:"Aluminium versus aluminum"
603:Bowden, Mary Ellen (1997).
392:
10:
1322:
1111:, Oberlin College Archives
650:"The Perkin Medal Award".
467:Chemical Heritage Magazine
375:
327:Harvard–Yenching Institute
1224:
1203:
1152:
1144:
982:Science History Institute
355:American Chemical Society
303:American Chemical Society
125:
112:
102:
95:
84:
76:
57:
42:
30:
23:
337:Hall was elected to the
150:; Hunt's partner at the
1195:Reynolds Group Holdings
366:Oberlin Heritage Center
198:Hall's family moved to
1281:Oberlin College alumni
1244:United States v. Alcoa
1160:Alcoa Power Generating
928:. Harvard University.
797:The Chronicle/Telegram
160:Carnegie Steel Company
687:The Immortal Woodshed
313:Later years and death
956:search.amphilsoc.org
952:"APS Member History"
658:(3): 143–151. 1911.
611:. Philadelphia, PA:
461:Geller, Tom (2007).
399:History of aluminium
341:in 1898. He won the
266:Hall–Héroult process
156:Carbon Steel Company
107:Hall–Héroult process
1211:Charles Martin Hall
1082:. Oberlin College.
1020:on January 30, 2013
880:Research Management
849:Dialog on Aluminium
734:1986JChEd..63..557C
664:10.1021/ie50027a005
552:1977JChEd..54...24T
381:US Patent 400,664,
204:Oberlin High School
189:Julia Brainerd Hall
132:Charles Martin Hall
103:Significant advance
89:Julia Brainerd Hall
37:Charles Martin Hall
25:Charles Martin Hall
977:"SCI Perkin Medal"
517:10.1149/2.F01142if
97:Engineering career
1296:American chemists
1253:
1252:
1153:Related companies
1008:Steinberg, Neil.
742:10.1021/ed063p557
589:978-0-253-20813-2
333:Awards and honors
246:aluminum sulphide
238:aluminum fluoride
234:aluminum chloride
129:
128:
61:December 27, 1914
1313:
1232:Alcoa, Tennessee
1225:Related articles
1185:Howmet Aerospace
1139:
1132:
1125:
1116:
1115:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1091:
1072:
1066:
1065:
1063:
1061:
1056:on July 16, 2011
1055:
1044:
1036:
1030:
1029:
1027:
1025:
1016:. Archived from
1005:
999:
998:
996:
994:
973:
967:
966:
964:
962:
948:
942:
941:
939:
937:
918:
912:
911:
871:
865:
864:
862:
860:
855:on July 14, 2019
841:
835:
834:
822:
813:
812:
810:
808:
788:
779:
778:
776:
774:
752:
746:
745:
717:
711:
710:
698:
692:
691:
681:
668:
667:
647:
638:
637:
635:
633:
610:
600:
594:
593:
573:
564:
563:
560:10.1021/ed054p24
535:
529:
528:
526:
524:
519:
505:
496:
483:
482:
480:
478:
458:
441:
440:
438:
436:
417:
307:British spelling
217:Friedrich Wöhler
206:, and a year at
121:
69:Daytona, Florida
64:
46:December 6, 1863
35:
21:
20:
1321:
1320:
1316:
1315:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1310:
1256:
1255:
1254:
1249:
1220:
1216:Klaus Kleinfeld
1199:
1148:
1143:
1104:
1099:
1089:
1087:
1074:
1073:
1069:
1059:
1057:
1053:
1042:
1038:
1037:
1033:
1023:
1021:
1014:Sun Times Media
1006:
1002:
992:
990:
989:on June 9, 2023
975:
974:
970:
960:
958:
950:
949:
945:
935:
933:
920:
919:
915:
872:
868:
858:
856:
843:
842:
838:
823:
816:
806:
804:
789:
782:
772:
770:
753:
749:
718:
714:
699:
695:
682:
671:
649:
648:
641:
631:
629:
627:
601:
597:
590:
574:
567:
536:
532:
522:
520:
503:
497:
486:
476:
474:
459:
444:
434:
432:
419:
418:
411:
407:
395:
378:
335:
315:
229:
208:Oberlin Academy
181:Oberlin College
173:
168:
119:
72:
66:
62:
53:
47:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1319:
1309:
1308:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1251:
1250:
1248:
1247:
1240:
1234:
1228:
1226:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1218:
1213:
1207:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1156:
1154:
1150:
1149:
1142:
1141:
1134:
1127:
1119:
1113:
1112:
1103:
1102:External links
1100:
1098:
1097:
1067:
1031:
1000:
968:
943:
922:"Charles Hall"
913:
866:
836:
814:
780:
747:
728:(7): 557–579.
712:
709:(892): 98–101.
693:
669:
639:
626:978-0941901123
625:
595:
588:
565:
530:
484:
442:
408:
406:
403:
402:
401:
394:
391:
390:
389:
377:
374:
334:
331:
314:
311:
277:Alfred E. Hunt
228:
225:
177:Thompson, Ohio
172:
169:
167:
164:
148:Alfred E. Hunt
127:
126:
123:
122:
114:
110:
109:
104:
100:
99:
93:
92:
86:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
67:
65:(aged 51)
59:
55:
54:
50:Thompson, Ohio
48:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1318:
1307:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1287:
1284:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1263:
1261:
1246:
1245:
1241:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1223:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1151:
1147:
1140:
1135:
1133:
1128:
1126:
1121:
1120:
1117:
1110:
1106:
1105:
1085:
1081:
1077:
1071:
1052:
1048:
1041:
1035:
1019:
1015:
1011:
1004:
988:
984:
983:
978:
972:
957:
953:
947:
931:
927:
923:
917:
909:
905:
901:
897:
893:
889:
885:
881:
877:
870:
854:
850:
846:
840:
832:
828:
821:
819:
802:
798:
794:
787:
785:
768:
764:
763:
758:
751:
743:
739:
735:
731:
727:
723:
716:
708:
704:
697:
689:
688:
680:
678:
676:
674:
665:
661:
657:
653:
646:
644:
628:
622:
618:
614:
609:
608:
599:
591:
585:
581:
580:
572:
570:
561:
557:
553:
549:
545:
541:
534:
518:
513:
509:
502:
495:
493:
491:
489:
472:
468:
464:
457:
455:
453:
451:
449:
447:
430:
426:
422:
416:
414:
409:
400:
397:
396:
387:
385:
380:
379:
373:
371:
367:
362:
358:
356:
352:
348:
344:
340:
330:
328:
323:
319:
310:
308:
304:
300:
296:
291:
289:
284:
282:
278:
274:
269:
267:
263:
259:
256:dissolved in
255:
249:
247:
241:
239:
235:
224:
222:
218:
212:
209:
205:
201:
200:Oberlin, Ohio
196:
192:
190:
186:
182:
178:
163:
161:
157:
153:
149:
146:, along with
145:
141:
137:
133:
124:
118:
115:
111:
108:
105:
101:
98:
94:
90:
87:
83:
79:
75:
70:
60:
56:
51:
45:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1301:Alcoa people
1242:
1210:
1180:Halco Mining
1107:Finding Aid
1088:. Retrieved
1079:
1076:"Hall House"
1070:
1058:. Retrieved
1051:the original
1046:
1034:
1022:. Retrieved
1018:the original
1013:
1003:
991:. Retrieved
987:the original
980:
971:
961:February 12,
959:. Retrieved
955:
946:
934:. Retrieved
925:
916:
886:(2): 24–33.
883:
879:
869:
857:. Retrieved
853:the original
848:
839:
830:
805:. Retrieved
796:
771:. Retrieved
769:(2): 438–445
766:
760:
750:
725:
721:
715:
706:
703:CIM Bulletin
702:
696:
686:
655:
651:
630:. Retrieved
606:
598:
578:
543:
539:
533:
521:. Retrieved
507:
475:. Retrieved
470:
466:
435:February 21,
433:. Retrieved
424:
383:
369:
363:
359:
343:Perkin Medal
336:
324:
320:
316:
299:Noah Webster
295:Humphry Davy
292:
285:
270:
262:Paul HĂ©roult
250:
242:
230:
213:
197:
193:
174:
131:
130:
117:Perkin Medal
96:
63:(1914-12-27)
18:
1271:1914 deaths
1266:1863 births
1237:Lever House
1090:January 28,
1024:January 28,
936:January 28,
859:January 27,
807:January 28,
632:January 28,
615:. pp.
523:January 28,
171:Early years
1260:Categories
405:References
288:short tons
273:Pittsburgh
77:Occupation
993:March 24,
900:0034-5334
773:August 4,
546:(1): 24.
510:: 36–37.
477:March 22,
227:Discovery
221:Göttingen
166:Biography
1084:Archived
930:Archived
908:24121912
801:Archived
429:Archived
393:See also
258:cryolite
140:aluminum
136:inventor
91:(sister)
80:Engineer
1190:Kawneer
1175:Arconic
1060:May 18,
730:Bibcode
548:Bibcode
376:Patents
353:by the
254:alumina
185:Jamaica
1204:People
906:
898:
623:
586:
120:(1911)
113:Awards
85:Family
1146:Alcoa
1054:(PDF)
1043:(PDF)
904:JSTOR
619:–37.
504:(PDF)
281:Alcoa
144:Alcoa
1092:2015
1062:2010
1026:2015
995:2018
963:2024
938:2015
896:ISSN
861:2015
809:2015
775:2009
767:XLIV
634:2015
621:ISBN
584:ISBN
525:2015
479:2018
437:2014
71:, US
58:Died
52:, US
43:Born
888:doi
738:doi
660:doi
556:doi
512:doi
473:(4)
219:at
1262::
1078:.
1045:.
1012:.
979:.
954:.
924:.
902:.
894:.
884:30
882:.
878:.
847:.
829:.
817:^
799:.
795:.
783:^
765:.
759:.
736:.
726:63
724:.
707:79
705:.
672:^
654:.
642:^
617:35
568:^
554:.
544:54
542:.
506:.
487:^
471:27
469:.
465:.
445:^
423:.
412:^
357:.
268:.
1138:e
1131:t
1124:v
1094:.
1064:.
1028:.
997:.
965:.
940:.
910:.
890::
863:.
833:.
811:.
777:.
744:.
740::
732::
666:.
662::
656:3
636:.
592:.
562:.
558::
550::
527:.
514::
481:.
439:.
388:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
