Pierre and Marie CURIE work on research into radium. 1902.

Pierre CURIE (1859-1906)

Signed autograph letter.

Two pages in-8° on School of Physics and Chemistry letterhead.

Brown stain and trace of collector's stamp on the second sheet.

Paris. November 12, 1902.

“The treatment of radium with the grant from the Institute is progressing. Ms. Curie is in the process of fractionating radiferous Barium chloride. »

Rare and important letter from Pierre Curie, busy, with his wife Marie, with research work on radium which earned them the Nobel Prize the following year.

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“Dear Sir, I once prepared the green sulfate of potash that I brought to you by calcining the sulfate of potash in a very clean platinum crucible and then letting the radium act through a thin sheet of rubber – perhaps the rays used in this experiment are strongly absorbed by the glass? As soon as I have a free product I will try it again.

The treatment of radium with the grant from the Institute is progressing. The major treatment has been completed for 2 tonnes and Ms Curie is in the process of fractionating the radiiferous Barium chloride coming from these 2 tonnes.

Another two tonnes are currently being processed at the factory. We think that we will be able to process a total of 5 tonnes of residues from the processing of Urane ores. Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my respectful and devoted feelings. P. Curie. »

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In 1902, Pierre and Marie Curie managed to extract a sufficient quantity of radium to determine its atomic mass. On December 10, 1903, as a reward for this research, the couple jointly received [along with Henri Becquerel] the Nobel Prize in Physics “in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered through their joint research on radiation phenomena. »