Julius Nieuwland
4779880
219157707
2008-06-13T20:57:04Z
129.74.15.3
[[image:Nieuwland.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Fr. Julius Nieuwland in his lab]]
Reverend '''Julius Arthur Nieuwland''', CSC, [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], (February 14, 1878–June 11, 1936) was a [[Belgian]]-born [[Congregation of Holy Cross|Holy Cross]] [[priest]] and professor of [[chemistry]] and [[botany]] at the [[University of Notre Dame]]. He is known for his contributions to [[acetylene]] research and its use as the basis for one type of [[synthetic rubber]], which eventually led to the invention of [[Neoprene]] by [[DuPont]].
Father Nieuwland's parents immigrated from [[Hansbeke]], [[Belgium]] in 1880 to [[South Bend]], [[Indiana]]. As a young man, Nieuwland enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, where he studied Latin and Greek and received his undergraduate degree in 1899. He soon after began studies for the priesthood. Ordained in 1903, Nieuwland attended graduate school at [[The Catholic University of America]], where he studied botany and chemistry. During his doctoral studies into the chemistry of acetylene, he discovered the chemical compound [[lewisite]], but abandoned further research
due to its usefulness as a poison.
After receiving his Ph.D. in 1904, he returned to Notre Dame as professor of botany (until 1918), then professor of organic chemistry (until 1936). In 1920, Nieuwland successfully polymerized
acetylene into divinylacetylene. [[Elmer Keiser Bolton|Elmer Bolton]], the Director of Research at [[DuPont]], used this basic research during the development of neoprene.
Albert Bassermann portrayed Fr. Nieuwland in the film ''[[Knute Rockne, All American]]'' as the priest who tries to convince Knute Rockne to be a chemist rather than a football coach. Knute Rockne graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in Pharmacy in 1914 and became a Chemistry instructor at Notre Dame, while also coaching various sports on campus, from 1915-1922.<ref>http://archives.nd.edu/faculty/r.htm</ref>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nieuwland, Julius}}
{{botanist|Nieuwl.|Nieuwland, Julius}}
{{chemist-stub}}
{{RC-bio-stub}}
[[Category:1878 births]]
[[Category:1936 deaths]]
[[Category:Belgian Americans|Nieuwland, Julius Arthur]]
[[Category:Congregation of Holy Cross|Nieuwland]]
[[Category:The Catholic University of America alumni|Nieuwland, Julius]]
[[Category:University of Notre Dame faculty|Nieuwland]]
[[Category:Belgian Roman Catholic priests|Nieuwland, Julius]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic scientist-clerics]]
[[nl:Julius A. Nieuwland]]
[[zh:尤利乌斯·纽兰德]]