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Nikolay KachalovChemical engineer, specialist in optical glass
Date of Birth: 20.06.1883
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Family and Early Life
- Education and Early Career
- Optical Glass Production
- Academic Career
- Awards and Recognition
- Legacy
Family and Early Life
Nikolai Nikolaevich Kachalov was born into a prominent Russian noble family on July 18, 1877. His father, Nikolai Nikolaevich Kachalov (1852-1909), was a Privy State Councilor and Governor of Arkhangelsk Province from 1905 to 1907. His grandfather, Nikolai Alexandrovich Kachalov (1818-1891), was a Privy Councilor and Director of the Department of Customs in the Ministry of Finance. He also served as Governor of Arkhangelsk Province from 1869 to 1870. Kachalov's mother, Olga Lvovna, née Blok (1861-1900), was the sister of Professor A. L. Blok, the father of the poet Alexander Blok. In 1908, Kachalov married actress Elizaveta Ivanovna Time (1884-1968). The couple had no children.
Kachalov's childhood was spent on his family's estate, Khvalevo-Borisov-Sudskoye, in the Vologda region. He developed close friendships with singer Leonid Sobinov, sculptor Vera Mukhina, writer Alexei Tolstoy, and actor V. Kachalov. He was also acquainted with People's Commissar of Education A. Lunacharsky and other prominent figures of the time.
Education and Early Career
In 1900, Kachalov graduated from real school. In 1911, he completed his studies at the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg. From 1911 to 1923, he worked as an employee in the technological department of the Petrograd Porcelain Factory, rising to the position of Technical Manager in 1916. During this period, he played a key role in developing the technology for the production of optical glass. In 1914, he traveled to England for consultations on glass production and oversaw the construction of an optical glass workshop at the Petrograd Porcelain Factory.
Optical Glass Production
In 1923, Kachalov helped establish the Optical Glass Factory, where he served as Technical Manager. The factory's establishment enabled the Soviet Union to produce its first optical glass in 1926 and to end its reliance on imports in 1927. Kachalov also worked as a scientist at the Petrograd (later Leningrad) Scientific Research Institute of Ceramics.
Academic Career
In 1930, Kachalov became Head of the Department of Glass at the Leningrad Technological Institute (LTI), the first such department in the country. He served as Director of Scientific Affairs at LTI from 1937 to 1940. In the same year, he was awarded the title of Doctor of Technical Sciences and became a Professor.
In 1931, Kachalov became a staff member of the Experimental Glass Factory, becoming Head of its Laboratory in 1932 and Director in 1937. In 1933, he was elected a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. From 1948 to 1961, he played a key role in establishing the Institute of Silicate Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, where he served as Deputy Director from 1948 to 1951 and Head of the Laboratory of Cold Processing of Silicates from 1951 to 1961.
Awards and Recognition
Kachalov was honored with the following awards and recognition:Order of Lenin (1953)
Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1943, 1944)
Order of the Red Star (1945)
Stalin Prize Second Class (1947)
Medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
Numerous other medals, diplomas, and awards
Scientific Contributions
Kachalov's scientific work focused on glass science, optical glass production, and the cold processing of glass. He was one of the first to provide a detailed exposition of the physicochemical foundations of key technological processes in glass production. He also made significant contributions to the study of refractories, art glass, and porcelain.
Kachalov was a leading organizer of research and production in the field of optical glass. He recounted his experiences in his book, "Glass."
Legacy
Kachalov's contributions to the field of glass science have had a lasting impact. His work on optical glass production played a crucial role in the development of the Soviet optical industry. He also founded the first Department of Glass in the country and trained numerous students who went on to make significant contributions to the field.
Nikolai Nikolaevich Kachalov died on April 29, 1961, in Leningrad. His grave is located on the "Literary Bridges" of the Volkova Cemetery. A tombstone in his memory, created by sculptors V. G. Kozenyuk and V. L. Rybalko and architect A. I. Pribulskiy, was unveiled in 1963.
