Nitroglycerin first appeared in a laboratory in 1847, synthesized by a chemist who immediately recognized its volatility and warned against its use. Ascanio Sobrero, a researcher based in the Kingdom of Italy, successfully created the substance but kept his findings secret for over a year due to his profound apprehension regarding its inherent dangers.
Academic Foundation
Born in Casale Monferrato in 1812, Sobrero pursued a rigorous international education. He studied medicine in Turin and Paris before focusing on chemistry at the University of Giessen, where he learned under Justus Liebig. Having earned his doctorate in 1832, he eventually returned to Italy, securing a professorship at the University of Turin in 1845. His academic path allowed him to engage with the period's emerging professionalization of scientific research.
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During his time at the University of Turin, Sobrero conducted experiments that led to the synthesis of the explosive compound he initially named pyroglycerine. His mentor, Théophile-Jules Pelouze, had previously conducted research into guncotton, influencing Sobrero's chemical inquiries. Despite the scientific achievement, Sobrero remained deeply unsettled by the unstable nature of his creation. He viewed the substance as a hazard rather than a utility, a stance that stood in stark contrast to the later commercial exploitation of the material.
Legacy and Industrial Contrast
The explosive potential of Sobrero’s discovery was later utilized by Alfred Nobel, another student of Pelouze, who patented various methods for manufacturing dynamite, ballistite, and gelignite during the 1860s. While Nobel accumulated a fortune through these inventions, Sobrero experienced profound dismay regarding the application of his work. Throughout his life, which concluded in Turin in 1888, he remained a member of the Academy of Sciences of Turin and authored numerous technical manuals on applied chemistry, viticulture, and industrial materials.
Technical Bibliography
Sobrero’s scholarly output was extensive, spanning diverse applications of chemical knowledge. His publications include the three-volume 'Manuale di chimica applicata alle arti' released between 1851 and 1866, and works focusing on agricultural and industrial concerns such as 'Della cagione della malattia della vite' (1867) and 'Dei cementi magnesiaci' (1869). These texts documented his systematic approach to chemistry, extending his professional focus well beyond his most notorious chemical finding.
Fast facts
- Born: 1812, Casale Monferrato
- Died: 1888, Turin
- Notable work: Nitroglycerin
- Education: University of Turin, University of Paris, University of Giessen
- Doctorate earned: 1832
- Professor at: University of Turin
- Discovery of nitroglycerin: 1847
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Italy
Questions readers ask
Did Ascanio Sobrero profit from the invention of dynamite?
No. While Alfred Nobel built a commercial empire using nitroglycerin, Sobrero expressed shame and dismay regarding the destructive uses of the explosive he discovered.
What did Sobrero initially call nitroglycerin?
He initially referred to the substance as pyroglycerine.
Achievements
- Notable work: nitroglycerin
- Held posts at University of Turin
- Educated at University of Giessen, University of Paris and University of Turin
- Fields of research: chemistry
