Marcel Pourbaix

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Pourbaix diagram of iron

Marcel Pourbaix (born September 16, 1904 in Myschega , Russian Empire , † September 28, 1998 in Uccle / Ukkel , Belgium ) was a Belgian chemist.

He achieved his most famous research results on corrosion at the Université Libre de Bruxelles . His greatest achievement was the discovery of potential pH, better known as the “ Pourbaix diagram ”. Pourbaix diagrams are thermodynamic overviews developed using the Nernst equation . They illustrate the relationships between possible phases of a system. These are delimited by lines that represent the reactions that mark the phase transitions. They can be read just like a phase diagram .

In 1963 Pourbaix compiled the "Atlas of Electrochemical Equilibria", which included the pH value diagrams of all elements known up to that point . Pourbaix and his staff began preparing the work in the early 1950s.

Marcel Pourbaix was not only a scientist but also a gifted pianist . He died on September 28, 1998 at the age of 94 in his family home in Brussels .

Publications

  • Atlas of electrochemical equilibria in aqueous solutions . National Association of Corrosion Engineers. Houston 1966.
  • Lectures of Electrochemical Corrosion .
  • Atlas of Chemical and Electrochemical Equilibra in the Presence of a Gaseous Phase .

Awards (selection)

In 1969, Pourbaix received the Willis Rodney Whitney Prize from NACE and in 1975 the Palladium Medal from the Electrochemical Society . Also in 1975 he was awarded the Cavallaro Medal of the European Federation of Corrosion (EFC). The International Corrosion Council (ICC) has been presenting the Marcel Pourbaix Award since 1995 , which was also given to Pourbaix himself that year.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Willis Rodney Whitney Award - NACE. In: NACE International> Membership> Member Resources> Awards> Willis Rodney Whitney Award. NACE International, 2019, accessed January 5, 2020 .
  2. ^ Cavallaro Medal. In: European Federation of Corrosion (EFC)> EFC Awards> Cavallaro Medal. European Federation of Corrosion (EFC), DECHEMA eV, December 18, 2019, accessed on January 5, 2020 (English).
  3. ^ Marcel Pourbaix - International Corrosion Council. Marcel Pourbaix Award. In: International Corrosion Council (ICC)> ICC Awards> Marcel Pourbaix. International Corrosion Council (ICC), accessed January 5, 2020 (American English).
personal data
SURNAME Pourbaix, Marcel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Belgian chemist
DATE OF BIRTH September 16, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Myschega , Russian Empire
DATE OF DEATH September 28, 1998
Place of death Uccle / Ukkel , Belgium