Henry Aaron Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Aaron Hill
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| Born | May 30, 1915 |
| Died | 1979 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Johnson C. Smith University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Awards | president of the American Chemical Society |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | fluorocarbon chemist |
Henry Aaron Hill (born May 30, 1915 – died 1979) was an American chemist. He made history by becoming the first African American president of the American Chemical Society (ACS). As a scientist, he was an expert in the chemistry of fluorocarbons.
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Early Life and Education
Henry Hill was born on May 30, 1915, in St. Joseph, Missouri. He loved science from a young age. He went to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1936, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.
He then continued his studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1942, he received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. His special research paper was called "Test of Van't Hoff's Principle of Optical Superposition." This paper explored how the shape of molecules affects light.
Career and Research
After getting his Ph.D., Dr. Hill started working as a research chemist. He joined Atlantic Research Associates in Newtonville, Massachusetts. He quickly became the research director there. By 1944, he was the vice president of the company. During this time, he also worked for the U.S. government. He was a civilian employee of the Office of Scientific Research and Development.
In 1946, Dr. Hill moved to Dewey & Almy Chemical Co. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, he led a research team. Later, in 1952, he helped start a new company. It was called National Polychemicals, Inc., located in Wilmington, Massachusetts. He became an assistant manager there. In 1961, he decided to open his own company. He named it Riverside Laboratory. This lab focused on research, development, and giving advice to other companies.
Dr. Hill's main research focused on chemicals used to make polymer products. Polymers are large molecules made of many smaller units. They are found in plastics, rubber, and many other materials.
Discoveries and Contributions
Dr. Hill's early chemistry research started at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His Ph.D. paper looked at how certain chemicals affect light. He became very interested in organic chemistry. He also became friends with James Flack Norris, who was the president of the ACS. This friendship helped Dr. Hill find his passion in polymerization chemistry. Polymerization is the process of making polymers.
Dr. Hill spent most of his career studying polymer chemistry. He also researched how easily fabrics could catch fire. He did this research at his Riverside Research Laboratory. He also worked at the North Atlantic Research Cooperation in Massachusetts. A lot of his work focused on fluorocarbons. These are special molecules made of carbon and fluorine atoms. They are very strong and stable.
His research helped improve many products. For example, he worked on firefighter foam. This foam is used in fire extinguishers to put out fires. He also worked on making synthetic rubber. This was a very important industry at the time.
Dr. Hill became interested in the business side of his work. In 1962, he started his own company, National Polychemicals Inc. This company did more research and manufacturing. It also offered advice to other companies. These companies worked with synthetic polymers. Dr. Hill helped them make better rubber products. He also helped them reduce dangers like fires in factories.
Organofluorine chemistry is the study of chemicals containing carbon and fluorine. These chemicals are useful for many things. They can make materials waterproof and less likely to burn. They are also used in some medicines. Dr. Hill's work was very important in this field. He helped use fluorocarbons to make rubber polymers and fabrics stronger. His research also made manufacturing safer. Before his work, factories often had fires and other dangers.
One of Dr. Hill's biggest achievements was becoming president of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 1977. At that time, many people faced unfair treatment because of their race. It was hard for Dr. Hill to get a job because he was African American. When he became president of the ACS, he made important changes. He created rules for fair treatment in the workplace. These rules stopped racial discrimination in chemical labs and factories. His contributions to chemistry and his fight for equality are still important today.
Legacy and Recognition
Henry Hill served on the boards of several important organizations. He was on the board of the American Chemical Society from 1971 to 1978. He also served on the board of Rohm & Haas. He was a trustee for his old university, Johnson C. Smith University.
Dr. Hill also worked to make products safer for everyone. He was the chairman of a committee that checked car safety. He was also a member of a group that studied fabric flammability. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson chose him for a special group. This group was called the National Commission on Product Safety. It later became the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The Northeastern Section of the ACS gives out an award in his honor. It is called the Henry A. Hill Award for Outstanding Service. Dr. Henry Hill himself received the first award in 1980, after he passed away.
