Henri Moissan

Working at the School of Pharmacy in Paris, Moissan tackled the deadly challenge of isolating elemental fluorine, which had blinded and killed several predecessors (including Davy and Louyet) due to its hyper-reactive toxicity. In June 1886, using platinum apparatus chilled to -50°C, he electrolyzed hydrogen fluoride, liberating pale yellow-green fluorine gas.

In 1892, Moissan invented the electric arc furnace, reaching temperatures of 3,500°C, synthesizing artificial carbides, borides, and tiny synthetic diamonds. In December 1906, he traveled to Stockholm to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, passing away suddenly from appendicitis weeks later.