Auer von Welsbach, Carl 1858 - 1929

Scientist and Inventor (1st September 1858 – 4th August 1929)

Carl Auer, later Carl Auer von Welsbach, was born in Vienna, the son of Alois Auer and Therese Neuditschka, on 1st September 1858. In 1860 his father was ennobled becoming Alois Ritter Auer von Welsbach.

Following education in Mariahilf and Josefstadt he attended Realschule Josefstadt from 1873 to 1877 before completing 1 year of military service in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Following this he studied maths, chemistry, physics and thermodynamics at the University of Vienna and then spectroscopy at Heidelberg under Robert Bunsen. In 1882 he received his PhD.

In 1885 Carl Auer used fractional crystallisation to separate didymium alloy into its two parts, praseodymium and neodidymium. At the time this was thought to be an element and was seen with some scepticism. The same year he patented his development of the gas mantel using magnesium oxide, lanthanum oxide and yttrium oxide. In 1890 he would further develop this using thorium dioxide and cerium oxide.

In 1901 Carl Auer inherited his fathers title become Freiherr Auer von Welsbach.

Following his work on gas mantels he went on to develop the Auer-Oslight filament light bulb, which he introduced in 1902. In 1907 he was one of the three scientists to independently discover lutetium.

Following this he returned to chemistry at his estate Schols Welsbach, Welsbach Castle, where he worked on elements and minerals as well as photographic techniques and gardening.

Carl Auer von Welsbach died on 4th August 1929.