Pioneers of Adsorption Science 1. Stephen Brunauer

Abstract

Aspects of the life and work of the eminent scientist Stephen Brunauer (1903–1986) are described from a personal standpoint. Particular attention is given to Brunauer's collaboration with Emmett and Teller, his service to the U.S. Navy and his post-war research on the surface properties of cements, silica gels and other materials. In addition to his well-known status as the ‘B’ in the BET theory, Brunauer should be remembered for his many contributions to adsorption science and pore-size analysis.