Leonard Bessemer Pfeil facts for kids

Dr. Leonard Bessemer Pfeil was a brilliant British scientist who studied metals. He was born on March 13, 1898, and passed away on February 16, 1969. He was known as a metallurgist, which is someone who understands how metals behave and how to make them stronger or more useful.

Early Life and Education

Leonard Pfeil grew up in London, England. His father, Leopold Pfeil, was an accountant. Leonard went to St Dunstan's College in Catford for his early schooling.

After that, he continued his studies at the famous Royal School of Mines. This school is known for teaching about engineering and science, especially related to materials. Leonard worked hard and earned his first university degree, a Bachelor of Science (BSc), in 1921.

Starting a Career in Metallurgy

After finishing his studies, Leonard Pfeil began his career as a Junior Lecturer in Metallurgy. This was at the new Metallurgy Department of the University College of Swansea. Here, he focused on solving problems related to the structure of steel.

He studied how steel looked under a microscope, a field called metallography. His important work led him to earn a higher degree, a Doctor of Science (D.Sc), from the University of London in 1927.

Innovations at Mond Nickel Company

In 1930, Leonard Pfeil moved to Birmingham to work for the Mond Nickel Company. He became the Assistant Manager of their Research and Development Department. This company worked with nickel, a strong and useful metal.

Wartime Contributions

During the Second World War, many of the company's usual projects were put on hold. Instead, Leonard and his team focused on military projects. A very important task was developing special heat-resistant metals. These metals were needed for the new jet engines being designed for aircraft.

His team greatly improved how to make the successful Nimonic range of nickel alloys. These alloys were super strong and could handle very high temperatures.

Developing Nimonic for Jet Engines

When the first jet engine, invented by Frank Whittle, was being created, it needed an even stronger version of the Nimonic alloy. This led to the development of Nimonic 80. Leonard's team worked hard to overcome the challenges of making this new metal.

Their success meant that an experimental jet plane, the E28, could fly in 1942. This plane, powered by a Whittle engine, was much faster than the older planes that used piston engines. Leonard also worked on other secret projects, like creating special filters to separate different types of uranium. For his vital contributions during the war, he was awarded the OBE in 1947.

Post-War Leadership and Recognition

After the war, Leonard Pfeil moved to London. He became the manager of Mond Nickel's Research and Development Department. He continued his important work on Nimonic alloys.

He became a director at Henry Wiggin and Co in 1946 and a director at Mond Nickel in 1951. He also served on many important committees and led professional groups. He was the President of the Institution of Metallurgists from 1953 to 1954 and President of the Institute of Metals in 1957.

In 1960, he became the Vice-Chairman of International Nickel Limited, which was the UK branch of the main company. He held this important position until he retired in 1963. In recognition of his scientific achievements, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1951. This is a very high honor for a scientist in the UK.

Leonard Pfeil passed away in 1969. He had married Olive Williams in 1929, and they had two sons.