John Chipman

American chemist and metallurgist
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Print
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Quick Facts
Born:
April 25, 1897, Tallahassee, Fla., U.S.
Died:
May 14, 1983, Winchester, Mass.

John Chipman (born April 25, 1897, Tallahassee, Fla., U.S.—died May 14, 1983, Winchester, Mass.) was an American physical chemist and metallurgist who was instrumental in applying the principles of physical chemistry to constituents in liquid metals and to the chemical reactions between slag and liquid iron that are important in the production of pig iron and steel.

Chipman was educated at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., and the University of California (Ph.D., 1926). While at the University of Michigan (1929–35), he began his study of the reaction between carbon in molten iron and oxygen-bearing gases. As a member of the faculty (1937–62) and head of the metallurgy department (1946–62) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, he continued and expanded his research on the physical chemistry of iron- and steelmaking. During World War II he was chief of the Metallurgy Section of the Manhattan Project at MIT and the University of Chicago.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.