Johan August Arfwedson
Johan August Arfwedson (12 January 1792 – 28 October 1841) was a Swedish chemist. He discovered lithium in 1817 by isolating it as a salt.
Johan August Arfwedson | |
|---|---|
 Johan August Arfwedson | |
| Born | 12 January 1792 |
| Died | 28 October 1841 (aged 49) |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Alma mater | Uppsala University |
| Known for | Discovered lithium |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
Life and work
Arfwedson was born in January 12, 1792. His family was very rich. His father was Jacob Arfwedson and his mother was Anna Elisabeth Holtermann. Arfwedson became a student at the Uppsala University in 1803. He completed a degree in Law in 1809 and a second degree in mineralogy in 1812. Later in the year, he received an position in the Royal Board of Mines.
In Stockholm, Arfwedson knew the chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius. He got access to his private laboratory, which is where he discovered lithium in 1817, during analysis of the mineral petalite.[1]
He was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1821.
The rare mineral arfvedsonite was named after him.
References
- ↑ Journal für Chemie und Physik (in Deutsch). Schrag'schen Buchhnadlung. 1817.