William Herbert Hatfield facts for kids
Dr. William Herbert Hatfield (born April 10, 1882 – died October 16, 1943) was an important English scientist who studied metallurgy. Metallurgy is the science of how metals behave and how they can be used. Dr. Hatfield made big contributions to creating and improving stainless steel.
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Early Life and Education
William Hatfield was born in Sheffield, England, on April 10, 1882. Sheffield is a city famous for its steel industry. He went to University College, Sheffield to study metallurgy. In 1902, he won the Mappin Medal, which is a special award for students.
In 1907, he married Edith Seagrave. Later, in 1913, his hard work and research earned him a special degree called Doctor of Metallurgy. This showed he was an expert in the field of metals.
A Career in Steel
In 1916, Dr. Hatfield became the Director of the Brown - Firth Research Laboratories in Sheffield. He took over from another famous metallurgist, Harry Brearley, and continued Brearley's important work on stainless steel. Stainless steel is a type of steel that doesn't rust easily.
Inventing Stainless Steel
Dr. Hatfield is well-known for inventing a special type of stainless steel in 1924. This steel is called 18/8 stainless steel. It gets its name because it contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. These elements help the steel resist rust and corrosion.
He also created another version of 18/8 stainless steel that had titanium added to it. This improved steel is now known as 321.
Steel for Jet Engines
During World War II, Dr. Hatfield's work became even more important. In 1940, he developed a stainless steel alloy called Rex 78. This special metal was used in the early turbojet engines designed by Frank Whittle. The first jet engine to use Rex 78 was the Power Jets W.1. This shows how his work helped develop new technologies like jet aircraft.
Dr. Hatfield also wrote many scientific papers about metallurgy. He focused on steels that could resist rust, acids, and high temperatures, as well as different types of cast iron.
His Lasting Legacy
Even after his death, Dr. Hatfield's contributions are remembered. Every December, the "Hatfield Memorial Lecture" is held at Sheffield University. This lecture is about metallurgy and is funded by a special trust set up in 1944 to honor his work.
