Mikkel Frandsen

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Mikkel Frandsen
Mikkel Frandsen
Born	1892 Sonder Lem Sogn, Denmark
Died	1981
Institutions	National Bureau of Standards,
Alma mater	University of California

Mikkel Frandsen (1892-1981) was an Danish American physical chemist noted for experiments involving chemical thermodynamics, oil, and heavy water. Heavy water is water that has an unusual and distinctive atomic structure. Also known as deuterium oxide (D₂O), heavy water is used to produce nuclear power and is used in other nuclear applications such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Contents 1 Early Years 2 Heavy Water 3 Other Experiments at the National Bureau of Standards 4 Later Years 5 References

[edit] Early Years

Frandsen was born in Sonder Lem Sogn, Denmark in 1892 and emigrated from Denmark to the United States in 1921. Frandsen earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of California in 1926.

In 1928, Frandsen invented the Liquid Phase Cracking Process, discovering that when oil is heated to a point at which cracking (chemistry) takes place, the heat consumed causes the oil temperature to decrease. This results in an increased yield of gasoline and a decreased knocking tendency of gasoline.

[edit] Heavy Water

In 1931 while at the National Bureau of Standards, Frandsen began a study with Edward W. Washburn and Edgar R. Smith, "The Isotopic Fractionation of Water," ^[1] the results of which were published in 1933. In Frandsen et al’s experiment, the scientists subjected water to electrolysis, and an isotope fractionation took place. The heavy water produced displayed a higher density than regular water. Heavy water has a higher freezing point, higher boiling point, and lower refractive index than regular water.

Heavy water differs from regular water in that the two atoms of hydrogen have been substituted with two atoms of deuterium, which is an isotope of hydrogen. The mass of heavy water is about 10% more than that of regular water due to the extra neutron in deuterium. Heavy water was discovered by Gilbert N. Lewis in 1933.

In 1934, Frandsen, along with Washburn and Smith, also published "On Change in Density, Index of Refraction, Boiling Point, and Freezing Point of Water after Electrolysis."

[edit] Other Experiments at the National Bureau of Standards

From 1931 to 1934, Frandsen authored or co-authored a series of experiments while at the National Bureau of Standards, the first of which was entitled, “Cryoscopic Constant Heat of Fusion, and Heat Capacity of Camphor (1931).” In 1932, Frederick Rossini, Washburn, and Frandsen authored “The Calorimetric Determination of the Intrinsic Energy of Gases as a Function of the Pressure.” This experiment resulted in the development of the Washburn Correction for bomb calorimetry, a decrease or correction of the results of a calorimetric procedure to normal states.

Frandsen also co-authored two articles with Merle Randall in 1932, “The Standard Electrode Potential of Iron and the Activity Coefficient of Ferrous Chloride,” and “Determination of the Free Energy of Ferrous Hydroxide from Measurements of Electromotive Force.” [1] Randall, along with Lewis, wrote one the most influential books in chemical thermodynamics, Thermodynamics and the Free Energy of Chemical Substances (1923). In 1933, Frandsen conducted research on the “Heat Capacity of Phosphorus Pentoxide.” Another of Frandsen's experiments in 1933 was entitled, "A Method of Determining Solvent Properties of Volatile Thinners in Varnishes." [2]

[edit] Later Years

In 1952, working at the U.S. Naval Gun Factory, Frandsen conducted chemical and spectrographic analyses of steels and copper alloys that led to a more effective testing procedure, the Quantometric Method. His research led to an article entitled, "Preparation of Vanadium Monoxide (1952)." [3]

[edit] References