Ernest Gaston Joseph Solvay (16 April 1838 – 26 May 1922) was a Belgian chemist, industrialist and philanthropist.
Born in Rebecq, he was prevented by his acute pleurisy from going to university. He worked in his uncle's chemical factory from the age of 21.
In 1861, he, along with his brother Alfred Solvay, developed the ammonia-soda process for the manufacturing of soda ash (anhydrous sodium carbonate) from brine (as a source of sodium chloride) and limestone (as a source of calcium carbonate). The process was an improvement over the earlier Leblanc process.He founded the company Solvay & Cie and established his first factory at Couillet (now merged into Charleroi, Belgium) in 1863 and further perfected the process until 1872, when he patented it. Soon, Solvay process plants were established in the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, Germany and Austria. Today, about 70 Solvay process plants are still operational worldwide.The exploitation of his patents brought Solvay considerable wealth, which he used for philanthropic purposes, including the establishment in 1894 of the "Institut des Sciences Sociales" (ISS) or Institute for Sociology at the Free University of Brussels (now split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel), as well as International Institutes for Physics and Chemistry. In 1903, he founded the Solvay Business School which is also part of the Free University of Brussels. In 1911, he began a series of important conferences in physics, known as the Solvay Conferences, whose participants included Max Planck, Ernest Rutherford, Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Henri Poincaré, and (then only 32 years old) Albert Einstein. A later conference would include Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Max Born, and Erwin Schrödinger.
He was twice elected to the Belgian Senate for the Liberal Party and granted honorary title of Minister of State at the end of his life. Solvay, New York and Rosignano Solvay, the locations of the first Solvay process plants in the United States and in Italy, are also named after him.
Solvay died at Ixelles at the age of 84 and is buried in the Ixelles Cemetery.
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Some of their strengths
Ernest Solvay has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Intelligent, Selfless, Honest, Intuitive, Passionate, and Adventurous.
Independent and Brave
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Ernest Solvay is someone who is an independent, brave, and honest person who approaches life with energy, intuition, passion, and generosity. A person who is known for being a good partner.
Strong and Resilient
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Ernest Solvay well know them as someone who can be strong, expansive, and stable like a big tree.
Methodical and Exacting
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Ernest Solvay as someone who is careful, methodical, and a perfectionist.
A person who forms successful business partnerships, who appreciates the variety the world has to offer, who takes a frugal approach to life and tends to be a workaholic, and who engages in things that let them express their opinion.
Realistic and Skillful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Ernest Solvay is someone who is able to separate emotions from reality, see the world in terms of right or wrong, and who is very good at getting things done.
They are also someone who is balanced, stable, and energetic, who likes the idea of home and family, and who is very comfortable being the person in charge.
Independent and Dynamic
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Ernest Solvay tends to be someone who is independent, dynamic, and courageous. Who can be positive, energetic, self-reliant, and adventurous, and who can make friends easily.
Some of Ernest Solvay's challenges
While Ernest Solvay has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Ernest Solvay can be Stubborn, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Suspicious, Hesitant, Narcissistic, and Sensitive.
Short-tempered and Impulsive
One of Ernest Solvay's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as short-tempered and impulsive.
Sensitive and Critical
Ernest Solvay is someone who can be insecure, critical, and pessimistic, who can have difficulty relaxing, can be possessive and jealous, and who can have difficulty listening to others' opinions and perspectives and make hasty decisions.
Aggressive and Domineering
Finally, Ernest Solvay also can be aggressive, impatient, impulsive, and short-tempered.
