Page "1880s" Paragraph 51

* 1886: Charles Martin Hall of Thompson Township, Geauga County, Ohio and Paul Héroult of Thury-Harcourt, Normandy independently discover the same inexpensive method for producing aluminium, which became the first metal to attain widespread use since the prehistoric discovery of iron.

The basic invention involves passing an electric current through a bath of alumina dissolved in cryolite, which results in a puddle of aluminum forming in the bottom of the retort.

It has come to be known as the Hall-Héroult process.

Often overlooked is that Hall did not work alone.

His research partner was Julia Brainerd Hall, an older sister.

She had studied chemistry at Oberlin College, helped with the experiments, took laboratory notes and gave business advice to Charles.