Hadfield, Sir Robert (1859-1940), an English metallurgist, developed manganese steel. Manganese steel is an extremely durable alloy (mixture of metals) ideal for applications involving large stresses. This steel quickly found uses in the manufacture of railroad rails and digging machinery. During World War I (1914-1918), it was used in the manufacture of armor, shells, and tank treads. Hadfield later developed silicon steel and other alloys suitable for making transformers and electrical machinery.
Robert Abbott Hadfield was born on Nov. 28, 1859, in Sheffield and was educated at the Collegiate School in that city. He was knighted in 1908 and became a baronet in 1917. He died on Sept. 30, 1940.
