Papers of Eugene G. Rochow

Eugene G. Rochow was an American inorganic chemist and a noted expert on organosilicon chemistry. Born in Newark, New Jersey on October 4, 1909, Rochow earned his B.S. in Chemistry (1931) and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Cornell University (1935). After earning his Ph.D., he went to work at Hotpoint Company, a subsidiary of General Electric Company, where he served as a Research Chemist (1935-1948).

At General Electric, Rochow conducted research on periclase. He also produced ethyl phenyl silicone, which Corning Glass Works had also just produced, for use as an insulator. While working at General Electric, Rochow also discovered how to produce methyl silicone. Working with Charles E. Reed, he developed a way to manufacture methyl silicone using fluid-bed catalysis. Now called the Direct Process or the Muller-Rochow Process, this method allows for production of organosilicons on an industrial scale. Later in his tenure at General Electric, Rochow conducted research on nuclear fission as a source of domestic energy.

In accordance with his Quaker beliefs, Rochow left General Electric in 1948 when the firm agreed to work on nuclear propulsion for naval vessels. That same year, he joined the faculty of Harvard University’s Chemistry Department, where he enjoyed a distinguished academic career. Over the course of his tenure at Harvard, he rose through the Chemistry Department’s ranks, serving as Associate Professor (1948-1951) and Professor (1951-1970). Rochow retired from Harvard in 1970 and maintained his association with the university as Professor Emeritus for many years afterwards (1970-1996).

Eugene G. Rochow authored several books and numerous journal articles over the course of his career. He was also awarded thirty-eight United States patents. Rochow was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Society of Chemical Industry’s Perkin Medal (1962) and the German Chemical Society’s Alfred Stock Medal (1983). He also received honorary doctorates from the Carolo-Wilhelmina Universitat Braunschweig (1966) and the Technische Universitat Dresden (1992).

Eugene G. Rochow passed away in Fort Myers, Florida on March 21, 2002.

Sources

Norcera, Daniel, Charles Lieber, and Dudley Herschbach. “Eugene Rochow, 92.” The Harvard Gazette. May 2, 2018. - Eugene Rochow, 92 – Harvard Gazette

Oral History Interview with Eugene G. Rochow, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Oral history interview with Eugene G. Rochow - Science History Institute Digital Collections

Papers of Eugene G. Rochow, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.