Stanislas Sorel

Who was Stanislas Sorel?

Stanislas Sorel was a French engineer, raised the son of a poor clock-maker.

Sorel filed a patent on 10 May 1837 for a "galvanic" method of protecting iron from rust by either coating it in a bath of molten zinc or by covering it with galvanic paint. This was the precursor of modern hot-dip galvanizing.

In 1867, Sorel made a new form of cement from a combination of magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride, which had a remarkable capacity to bond with and contain other materials. Sorel cement as it is known has been used for grindstones, tiles, artificial stone and even artificial ivory. It is stronger than the more usual Portland cement, but its poor water resistance and corrosive qualities make it unsuitable for construction applications.