1868-1934. German chemist whose conversion of
atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia opened the
way for the synthetic fertilizer industry.
His study of the combustion of hydrocarbons
led to the commercial `cracking' or
fractionating of natural oil (petroleum) into
its components (for example, diesel, petrol,
and paraffin). In electrochemistry, he was
the first to demonstrate that oxidation and
reduction take place at the electrodes; from
this he developed a general electrochemical
theory. In World War I he worked on poison
gas and devised gas masks, hence there were
protests against his Nobel prize in 1918.