Katharine Burr Blodgett (1898-1979)was the first woman scientist ever hired by General Electric and is credited as the inventor of non-reflective glass.
Katharine Burr Blodgett (1898-1979)was the first woman scientist ever hired by General Electric and is credited as the inventor of non-reflective glass.
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All month, we’re highlighting innovators - women who helped shape the world we live in today. Specifically, our womanican of the day shaped how we all see the world around us.
Let’s talk about Katharine Burr Blodgett.
Katharine was born in 1898 in Schenectady, New York. Her father, George, was a patent attorney at General Electric, or GE. Tragically, George died just before Katharine was born.
As a child, Katharine showed a keen interest in math and science. Katharine elected to attend Bryn Mawr College where she studied physics. During her senior year of college, Katharine toured the research labs at GE. Her tour guide, the chemist and inventor Irving Langmuir, had known Katharine’s father.
Irving encouraged Katharine to pursue further education if she wished to join his lab. Katharine took the advice and completed a masters in chemistry at the University of Chicago. After graduating in 1918, Katharine became Irving’s assistant and eventually GE’s first-ever female research scientist.
At another one of Irving’s recommendations, Katharine continued to break barriers in education. In 1926, she became the first woman to graduate with a doctorate in physics from Cambridge University.
Following her doctorate, Katharine returned to GE to work alongside Irving.
At GE, Irving developed a means of producing one-molecule thick oily films on surfaces. He’d go on to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1932 for his discoveries in surface chemistry.
During this time, Katherine’s work was also instrumental in another area of research: the refinement of tungsten filament in electric lamps. But soon, Katharine and Irving returned to their study of surface films.
Katharine discovered that each time a surface such as metal or glass was dipped in the films, it reflected a unique color. She realized that she could therefore measure the thickness of these films with extreme accuracy. Her resulting invention could measure films within one-millionth of an inch.
These precise measurements came in handy. As Katharine studied the effect of the layers, she realized that she could reduce the glare that reflected off of the glass based on how many layers she applied. When Katharine applied 44 single-molecule layers of the soapy liquid – equivalent to four one-millionths of an inch thick – reflections on the glass were all but gone.
It was such a marvel at the time, that the December 27, 1938 edition of The New York Times covered the invention, stating in a headline: “Glass ‘Invisible’ By Use Of Film”. It featured a photo of Katharine in her lab and included the following description:
“Discovery of a coating that makes glass invisible was announced today by Dr. Katharine B Blodgett…The coated glass does not reflect light from any angle, no matter how strong the glare. Clock dial face and show-case glass and windows appear not to exist. Eye-glasses would not bother wearers with reflections of stray beams from side or behind.”
At the time of Katharine’s discovery, the soapy film layers could be easily wiped off from surfaces. Scientists went on to build off of her technology to create a more permanent fusion. Today, non-reflective glass is ubiquitous – from computer screens to camera lenses to eyeglasses.
With the start of World War II, Katharine pivoted to help the war effort. Her work led to effective ice-removal from planes and the development of a smoke-screen that may have saved thousands of lives.
Throughout the rest of her career, Katharine won many accolades. She received six patents before she retired from GE in 1963 after more than forty years with the company.
In 1979, at the age of 81, Katharine passed away in her home in Schenectady.
All month, we’re talking about innovators.
For more information and pictures of some of the work we’re talking about, find us on Facebook and Instagram @womanicapodcast.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!