This talk will review the history of the founder of cellulose, Anselme Payen. Born in Paris in 1795, Ansleme Payen is acknowledged as the discoverer of the material ‘cellulose’. Indeed, in his now classic paper in 1838 he coined the name. Payen was a prolific chemist beyond cellulose, but also a factory owner by the age of 23. The extent of his chemical discoveries will be assessed, and some attempt will be made to understand who the man was. It is known that he was a humble man, and although records of his life are scarce, this talk will attempt to piece together who Payen was, what he stood for, and how we should preserve his legacy.

Anselme Payen: 100+ years of cellulose chemistry – an almost forgotten history.

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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