Data bases: past, present and future

This historic account reviews briefly the compilation and publication of data in 'thermochemistry and free energy of chemical reactions' starting with the works of the 19th century pioneers, Julius Thomsen and Marcellin Berthelot. The role played by the leading 20th century data enthusiasts, such as Rossini, Lewis & Randall, Kharasch, Bichowsky, Latimer, and others is documented. Computer technology and networking has resulted in many changes in modern day databases, not only in the methods of dissemination but also in their capabilities, in that many such bases now carry within themselves the methods of estimation of unknown properties and the utilization of such data for calculation of various thermodynamic equilibria as a function of temperature, pressure, and composition. When I was asked to give this talk to the Conference I protested that I had not been actively involved in work on thermodynamic data evaluation for several years. However my 40 years at the U. S. National Bureau of Standards had been spent principally in the preparation of comprehensive data bases for thermodynamics. During those years I had occasion to examine many of the older bases. Some of them are now out of print but they played a significant role in the growth of chemical thermodynamic research and the application of the data to the design and development of industrial processes. The relatively recent growth in computer technology and computer networking has resulted in many changes in modern day data bases, not only in the methods of dissemination but also in their capabilities, in that many such bases now carry within themselves the methods of estimation of unknown properties and the utilization of such data for calculation of various thermodynamic equilibria as a function of temperature, pressure, and