L'azoto, il fosforo e la chimica nuova. Storie di luce e combustione (1774-1799)

[Machine translation] This book tells stories of light and theories of combustion in the last part of the 18th century. However, it does so on the nitrogen side, that is, of those three-quarters of the common air that do not allow the quantitative exchanges proper to the combustion itself and do not trigger the light response of phosphorus, which has always been the most spectacular reagent. The choice was in fact fortunate and enhanced a variety of positions irreducible to the classic contrast between Lavoisierians and phlogists, who are still numerous in the German environment. In fact, it was within the latter that both the most interesting form of non-Lavoisierian 'chemistry of light' and its first dispute matured., J.F.A. Göttling's experimental series connect the alpha and omega of storytelling. They attributed powerful luminous reactivity to phosphorus in nitrogen and consequently forced both parties involved to reconsider the nature of the gas. If a decisive contribution brought phosphorus and nitrogen back on parallel routes, it came from Lazzaro Spallanzani who, a well-known scientist in completely other fields, finally arrived at chemistry — and nitrogen in particular — in a fortunate way to say the least. The book analyzes theories, but it deals mainly with creative experimental practice and makes history of protocols and tools. What happened both within the French party and in phlogistic chemistry actually indicates that the correct understanding of the relationship between phosphorus and nitrogen primarily requires accuracy in the analysis of gases and the reliability of the devices. Readers will therefore meet the great heroes of the history of chemistry, but also the “artisans of innovation”, who measure how widespread scientific activity was at that time, how varied the discussion of the method was and how complicated the application of the procedures finally succeeded.