Nicolas LeBlanc

Nicolas Leblanc (December 6, 1742 - January 16, 1806) was a French chemist. He developed the method of preparing sodium carbonate that bears his name. In 1786 he became famous thanks to his work on crystallization. Three years later he discovered a procedure for preparing sodium carbonate (commercial soda) from common salt (sodium chloride), the Leblanc process, which allowed the development of the mineral chemical industry. In 1791 he opened a factory employing the new procedure. Ruined, he committed suicide in 1806 in Saint-Denis.