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Nikolai Albertowich Fuchs, Ph.D., DSc.
IN MEMORIAM NIKOLAI ALBERTOWICH FUCHS, Ph.D., DSc. 1 August 1895-10 October 1982
Professor Nikolai Albertowich Fuchs, the greatest scientist in the field of the physics of aerodisperse systems, passed away from heart failure on October 10, 1982, in Moscow. His lovely wife Marina writes: "It was quite unexpected, he didn't suffer from any pains and didn't think he was going to die. He died a happy man." N. A. Fuchs was the founder of aerosol science in Russia and a leading exponent of this scientific discipline in the world. He was a scientist who combined brilliant experimental technique with the ability to make a theoretical correlation of the results of the experiments. Fuchs began his scientific activity before World War I in a laboratory organized by the famous Russian physicist P. N. Lebedev. Later he started his independent scientific activity in the chair of colloid chemistry of the 2nd Moscow Institute of Chemical Engineering. His work of that period was devoted to the investigation of capillary equilibrium at the interface between two liquid phases and a single vapor phase. In 1932 he began investigations into the physics of aerodisperse systems in the L. Ya. Karpov Physicochemical Institute, where he organized an aerosol laboratory and of which he was a member at the time of his death. On a worldwide level, the study of aerodisperse systems was still in an embryonic state when Fuchs entered the field. His first investigations were devoted to methods for measuring the size and charge of fine aerosol particles as well as to the theory of evaporation and condensation of aerosol droplets. His important contribution to the theory of aerosol
coagulation was perhaps his greatest contribution to aerosol science and to colloid science in general. In 1934, in a laboratory headed by Fuchs, co-workers I. V. Petryanov and N. D. Rosenblum made an important discovery, leading to the creation of the FP filtering materials (organic fiber filters corresponding to HEPA filters). Fuchs was a pioneer in the introduction of chromatography in Russia. The year 1955 saw the publication of Fuchs' monograph "The Mechanics of Aerosols," the first book in this field of physics which earned the "livre-de-chevet" of aerosol specialists throughout the world. There then appeared the books "Evaporation and the Growth of Drops" and "Advances in the Mechanics of Aerosols," also translated into English. Since 1975 Fuchs has worked on another important monograph, "Theory of Aerosol Sampling and Measurement." Many chapters were already prepared and the printing was planned for 1984. His unexpected death did not permit him to finish this important book. Fuch's work shows a gap between 1937 and 1947. This period of incarceration was the saddest and hardest time for Nicolai AIbertowich and his family. In 1959qafler his official rehabilitation--he was permitted to work again in the Karpov-Institute and he organized a new aerosol laboratory. The main trends in the new laboratory were the studies of the mechanism of formation of condensed aerosols, the creation of a quantitative theory of aerosol filtration, and the study of the transition of dusts into an aerodisperse state. He trained and educated a
597 0021-9797/83 $3.00 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 93, No. 2, June 1983
Copyright © 1983 by Academic Press, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.
598
NIKOLAI ALBERTOWICH FUCHS--IN MEMORIAM
large group of highly qualified experts in aerosol science. The scientific school o f N. A. Fuchs is rated highly in the USSR as well as abroad. Fuchs wrote a n u m b e r of reviews devoted to the development of aerosol investigations and published a unique collection of abstracts on aerosols. On his 80th birthday his scientific merits were lauded in Russia and he was named an Honored Worker in Science and Technology and awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. His colleagues in Western Europe and the Society for Aerosol Research proposed Fuchs for a Nobel award--unfortunately without success. What a man he was! He was highly educated, friendly, and modest. He spoke English and G e r m a n fluently. He was a patriot but also an internationalist with a very humane and democratic mentality. He was a strict teacher and critic, but at the same time
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 93, No. 2, June 1983
a good father to his young co-workers. He had two hobbies--classical music and botany. He loved the music ofJ. S. Bach, mainly has cantatas and oratoria. How happy he was on receiving numerous LP records o f Bach's sacred music from "aerosol friends" in the United States and Western Europe. Our personal contacts, meetings, discussions, and talks cannot be forgotten. Maybe, if God and time permits, we will prepare more detailed memorabilia on Nikolai A1bertowich for the young generation o f aerosol scientists. The life of Nikolai Albertowich was also full of love, joy, and happiness, a tribute to his wonderful wife Marina. K. SPURNY Fraunhofer-lnstitut fur Toxikologie und Aerosolforschung Grafschaft 5949 Schwallenberg West Germany
Professor Nikolai Albertowich Fuchs, the greatest scientist in the field of the physics of aerodisperse systems, passed away from heart failure on October 10, 1982, in Moscow. His lovely wife Marina writes: "It was quite unexpected, he didn't suffer from any pains and didn't think he was going to die. He died a happy man." N. A. Fuchs was the founder of aerosol science in Russia and a leading exponent of this scientific discipline in the world. He was a scientist who combined brilliant experimental technique with the ability to make a theoretical correlation of the results of the experiments. Fuchs began his scientific activity before World War I in a laboratory organized by the famous Russian physicist P. N. Lebedev. Later he started his independent scientific activity in the chair of colloid chemistry of the 2nd Moscow Institute of Chemical Engineering. His work of that period was devoted to the investigation of capillary equilibrium at the interface between two liquid phases and a single vapor phase. In 1932 he began investigations into the physics of aerodisperse systems in the L. Ya. Karpov Physicochemical Institute, where he organized an aerosol laboratory and of which he was a member at the time of his death. On a worldwide level, the study of aerodisperse systems was still in an embryonic state when Fuchs entered the field. His first investigations were devoted to methods for measuring the size and charge of fine aerosol particles as well as to the theory of evaporation and condensation of aerosol droplets. His important contribution to the theory of aerosol
coagulation was perhaps his greatest contribution to aerosol science and to colloid science in general. In 1934, in a laboratory headed by Fuchs, co-workers I. V. Petryanov and N. D. Rosenblum made an important discovery, leading to the creation of the FP filtering materials (organic fiber filters corresponding to HEPA filters). Fuchs was a pioneer in the introduction of chromatography in Russia. The year 1955 saw the publication of Fuchs' monograph "The Mechanics of Aerosols," the first book in this field of physics which earned the "livre-de-chevet" of aerosol specialists throughout the world. There then appeared the books "Evaporation and the Growth of Drops" and "Advances in the Mechanics of Aerosols," also translated into English. Since 1975 Fuchs has worked on another important monograph, "Theory of Aerosol Sampling and Measurement." Many chapters were already prepared and the printing was planned for 1984. His unexpected death did not permit him to finish this important book. Fuch's work shows a gap between 1937 and 1947. This period of incarceration was the saddest and hardest time for Nicolai AIbertowich and his family. In 1959qafler his official rehabilitation--he was permitted to work again in the Karpov-Institute and he organized a new aerosol laboratory. The main trends in the new laboratory were the studies of the mechanism of formation of condensed aerosols, the creation of a quantitative theory of aerosol filtration, and the study of the transition of dusts into an aerodisperse state. He trained and educated a
597 0021-9797/83 $3.00 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 93, No. 2, June 1983
Copyright © 1983 by Academic Press, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.
598
NIKOLAI ALBERTOWICH FUCHS--IN MEMORIAM
large group of highly qualified experts in aerosol science. The scientific school o f N. A. Fuchs is rated highly in the USSR as well as abroad. Fuchs wrote a n u m b e r of reviews devoted to the development of aerosol investigations and published a unique collection of abstracts on aerosols. On his 80th birthday his scientific merits were lauded in Russia and he was named an Honored Worker in Science and Technology and awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. His colleagues in Western Europe and the Society for Aerosol Research proposed Fuchs for a Nobel award--unfortunately without success. What a man he was! He was highly educated, friendly, and modest. He spoke English and G e r m a n fluently. He was a patriot but also an internationalist with a very humane and democratic mentality. He was a strict teacher and critic, but at the same time
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 93, No. 2, June 1983
a good father to his young co-workers. He had two hobbies--classical music and botany. He loved the music ofJ. S. Bach, mainly has cantatas and oratoria. How happy he was on receiving numerous LP records o f Bach's sacred music from "aerosol friends" in the United States and Western Europe. Our personal contacts, meetings, discussions, and talks cannot be forgotten. Maybe, if God and time permits, we will prepare more detailed memorabilia on Nikolai A1bertowich for the young generation o f aerosol scientists. The life of Nikolai Albertowich was also full of love, joy, and happiness, a tribute to his wonderful wife Marina. K. SPURNY Fraunhofer-lnstitut fur Toxikologie und Aerosolforschung Grafschaft 5949 Schwallenberg West Germany