Otto Wichterle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otto Wichterle
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Prof. Otto Wichterle
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| Born | 27 October 1913 Prostějov, Moravia, Austria-Hungary
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| Died | 18 August 1998 (aged 84) Stražisko, Moravia, Czech Republic
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| Nationality | Czech |
| Alma mater | Czech Technical University in Prague |
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Otto Wichterle (born October 27, 1913 – died August 18, 1998) was a famous Czech chemist. He is best known for inventing modern soft contact lenses.
Wichterle created or helped create about 180 patents and over 200 publications. His work covered many areas of chemistry. This included organic, inorganic, and macromolecular chemistry. He also worked on polymer science and biomedical materials. He believed that science should help society in any way possible. He didn't see a difference between "pure" (basic) and "applied" (practical) science.
Contents
Early Life and Chemistry Studies
Otto Wichterle's father, Karel, owned a successful factory. It made farm machines and small cars. But Otto chose to study science. After high school in Prostějov, he started studying at the Chemical and Technological Faculty of the Czech Technical University. He was also interested in medicine.
He finished his studies in 1936 and stayed at the university. In 1939, he submitted his second doctorate paper on chemistry. However, the government at the time, called the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, stopped his work at the university. Wichterle then joined a research institute at Baťa's factory in Zlín. There, he could continue his scientific work.
At Baťa's institute, Wichterle led the team working on plastics. They focused on polyamide and caprolactam. In 1941, Wichterle's team found a way to make polyamide thread. This led to the first Czechoslovak synthetic fiber, called silon. This invention happened independently of the American nylon process. Wichterle was arrested by the Gestapo (secret police) in 1942. But he was released after a few months.
After World War II, Wichterle went back to the university. He focused on organic chemistry. He taught general and inorganic chemistry. He wrote textbooks that were very advanced for their time. In 1949, he started a new department for plastics technology.
Inventing Contact Lenses
Developing the First Prototypes
In 1952, Otto Wichterle became the dean of the new Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague. From then on, he studied how to make special gels. These gels could absorb water and be used safely with living tissues. He wanted to find a material for permanent contact with the human body.
Wichterle worked with his colleague, Drahoslav Lím. Together, they created a special gel. It could absorb up to 40% water. It was also strong and clear. This new material was called Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA). They patented it in 1953.
Wichterle believed pHEMA could be perfect for contact lenses. He got his first patent for soft contact lenses. In 1954, this material was first used as an implant in the eye socket. In 1957, Wichterle made about 100 soft lenses. He used molds made from polystyrene. But the edges of these lenses often broke when removed. They also needed a lot of hand finishing. He knew he needed a better method.
Sadly, Wichterle and other important teachers had to leave the Institute of Chemical Technology in 1958. This happened because of a "political purge" by the Communist leaders. A political purge is when people are removed from their jobs or positions because of their beliefs or opinions. This meant research into contact lenses stopped at the institute.
However, a big meeting about polymers in Prague in 1957 convinced the government to create a research center for synthetic polymers. The Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry was formed in 1958. Professor Wichterle was chosen to be its director. Since the new building was still being built, Professor Wichterle did his important experiments at home. He worked on how to shape the hydrogels into suitable contact lenses.
Making Early Models at Home
By late 1961, Wichterle successfully made the first four hydrogel contact lenses. He used a machine he built himself at home. It was made from a children's building kit called Merkur. He also used a bicycle dynamo from one of his sons and a bell transformer. Wichterle even made all the molds and glass tubes needed.
On Christmas afternoon, with his wife Linda helping, Wichterle finally succeeded. He used the machine on his kitchen table. He tried the lenses in his own eyes. Even though they weren't the right strength, they felt comfortable. This is how he invented a new way to make lenses using a spinning process called centrifugal casting.
A few days later, he finished his patent application. He then made over 100 lenses using this new method. He built several new prototype machines using Merkur toys. These machines had more spindles and needed a stronger motor. He even used the motor from his gramophone! With these simple devices, Wichterle and Linda made 5,500 lenses in the first four months of 1962. The first experimental lenses were called Geltakt. Later, the production lenses were called Spofalens.
The Contact Lens Patent
In 1965, a company called National Patent Development Corporation (NPDC) bought the rights to make the lenses in America. They then allowed Bausch & Lomb to make them in the USA. In 1977, other companies tried to challenge the patents. To avoid problems if they lost in court, the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences sold the patents. However, Wichterle and NPDC won the court case in 1983.
Later Life and Political Changes
Wichterle became well-known around the world. This was not only for his inventions but also for his work in international groups. One important group was the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). He helped organize big meetings in Prague in 1957 and 1965. He also helped start a new division for macromolecular chemistry, becoming its first president. He helped bring together pure and applied chemistry.
In 1970, Wichterle was removed from his position at the institute again. This happened because he signed "The Two Thousand Words." This was a paper asking for more democracy, which had started in 1968 during the Prague Spring. The Prague Spring was a time when people in Czechoslovakia tried to get more freedom from the strict Communist government.
The government punished him by taking away his leadership roles. They also made his research harder by limiting his contacts with other countries and reducing his teaching chances. He didn't get full recognition until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The Velvet Revolution was a peaceful change that ended Communist rule in Czechoslovakia. In 1990, he became president of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences until Czechoslovakia split into two countries. After that, he was the honorary president of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
Awards and Achievements
Otto Wichterle was a member of many science academies in other countries. He received many awards and honorary doctorates from several universities.
- In 1991, he received honorary degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, NY.
- An asteroid was named after him in 1993. It is called 3899 Wichterle.
- A high school in Ostrava, Czech Republic, was named after him on September 1, 2006.
- On October 27, 2021, Google celebrated Wichterle's 108th birthday with a special doodle on its homepage.
See also
In Spanish: Otto Wichterle para niños
