238 / 254
the long, exhaustive report states that: “Hans Christian Oersted
war der Wegbereiter des Aluminiums. Ihm gelang es, den rich-
tigen W eg von der Thonerde zum Aluminium zu finden” .
The present book, see page 117,brings a bibliography of material
connected with this matter “ before and after Dr. Fogh” , and it
shows gradually it has became internationally known that Oersted
was the first to produce metallic aluminium.
On page 114 is depicted a collection showing stages in Oersted’s
method for producing aluminium. It was made in the chemical
Laboratory of the Agricultural College in Copenhagen in 1932,
and presented by the Danish State in 1933, together with other
exhibition material regarding Danish science to Museum of Science
and Industry in Chicago where it is still housed.
H.
C. Oersted was the first who prepared aluminium in 1824.
He succeeded in preparing the unknown anhydrous aluminium-
chloride. Later in the same year 1,25 g o f this A1CL was heated
with potassium amalgam (B). The amalgam was prepared from
0,25 g potassium and about 20 g mercury.
The hot, very fluid aluminium amalgam was separated from the
viscous potassium and aluminium chloride (C) formed during the
heating, into a small glass retort, made of a glass tube, bent as
shown in (D). The mouthpiece o f the retort was drawn into a capil-
lary tube to prevent admission of atmospherical air during the
distillation (E).
When the distillation had been finished, heating was continued
for some time near to the melting point of the glass, and in this
way a small lump of metallic aluminium was obtained (F). The
ductile aluminium lump or ball can be hammered out to a thin
plate (G) (I). See: J. R. Partington. A History of Chemistry. Vol.
IV. London New York. 1964, page 323.
10
In 1829 a “ Union” was established between the newly-founded
‘Technical University and Copenhagen University as regards Phy
sics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
From 1824 to 1829 the Physics Collection and the Chemical Labo
ratory of the University were situated in Studiestræde, and from
1829 to 1890 in “union” with the Technical University, they were
232