Pre - reading task

What great names in the history of metallurgy do you know?

Some of the Great Names in the History of Metallurgy

Anosov, Pavel Petrovich (1799 - 1851), a Russian metallurgist. Entered the St.Petersburg Mining Corps of Cadets at the age of 11. Graduated with honours in 1817 and was appointed to a minor post at the Zlatoust Crown Works. Promoted to Supervisor of the Zlatoust Arms Factory in 1819, to its Superintendent in 1824, and its Manager in 1829. From 1831 on, Mining Chief of the Zlatoust Works. From 1847 until his death, Chief of the Altai Works.

Anosov won world renown for his writings on the manufacture of iron and his re-discovery of the secret of damaskene lost in the Middle Ages. He explained the effect of the chemical composition, structure and treatment of steel on its properties. His findings formed the basis for the science of quality steels. Anosov summed up his studies in his now classical treatise, ‘On Damaskene’ (1841), immediately translated into German and French.

Anosov was the first to use the microscope in studies into the structure of steel (1831), thus laying the foundation for the microscopic analysis of metals.

Anosov was elected a corresponding member of the Kazan University (1844) and an honorary member of the Kharkov University (1846).

Bessemer, Sir Henry (1813 - 1898), a British civil engineer and inventor, elected to the London Royal Society in 1879. Patented over a hundred inventions in various fields of technology. Those most important were the needle die for postal stamps and the word-casting machine in 1838, the sugar cane press in 1849, and the centrifugal pump in 1850. While working on ways and means of improving the quality of a heavy artillery shell in 1854, he felt the need for a better steel-making process. In 1856 he patented a vessel for converting molten pig iron into steel. The process which took place in a vessel was named after him and revolutionized the iron and steel industry. In 1860, he patented a converter in which air is blown through the bottom and trunnions. He also advanced the idea of rolling steel without having to cast it into ingots.

Huntsman, Benjamin (1704 - 1776), a British metallurgist. Rediscovered around 1740 the crucible process of steel-making known to the ancients in India, Persia, Syria, and elsewhere but later lost to civilization. The crucible process produced strong steel.

Task 2