History of Hydrogen

Written records show that in 1671 a chemist called Robert Boyle was producing hydrogen when doing experiments with iron and acid. However hydrogen was not recognised tell 1766 when the chemist Henry Cavendish distinguished it as an element in it’s on right. He also suggested composition of water was hydrogen and oxygen hence the name hydrogen from the Greek words hydro and genes which mean water forming when said together. In 1898 a chemist called James Dewar managed to obtain liquid hydrogen

During the 1800`s to the mid 1900`s a produced called town gas was being used in the modern world to supplied lighting and heating. The gas was made from about 50% hydrogen and the rest was carbon dioxide and methane with a small amount of carbon monoxide. The chemist Fritz Haber developed the Haber process in 1908. This is when hydrogen is used to make ammonia. This can be used to make fertilizers and explosives.

In 1932 the chemist Harold c. Urey discovered deuterium and then two years later tritium was discovered after bombarding deuterium with a deuterium nuclei. The first sign of a hydrogen ecoamery cam about in 1958 with the formation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It began using hydrogen as a rocket fuel. NASA became the worldwide largest user of liquid hydrogen. In 1959 the Francis Bacon, produced a 5-kW fuel cell system powder by hydrogen. Later that year a 20 hosrepower tractor made by harries Karl Ihrig using a fuel cell.

In the 20th Century Hydrogen is used extensively in the manufacture of ammonia, methanol, gasoline, and heating oil. It is also used to make fertilizers, soaps, glass, vitamins, rocket fuel, semiconductor circuits, lubricants, refined metals, cleaners and margarine. In the late 20th Century and begging of 21st Century many industries worldwide begin producing hydrogen. Many businesses have begun to produce hydrogen-powered vehicles and other hydrogen products.