Mercer, John (1791-1866)

English industrialist and ‘father’ of textile chemistry. In 1844 he investigated the action of caustic soda on cotton, and his discoveries were the foundation of Lowe's invention of mercerized cotton. This discovery that cellulose is soluble in a solution of copper oxide in ammonia later made possible the Bemberg process of manufacturing rayon.

Mercer was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, and began work at the age of nine as a bobbin winder at the Oakenshaw print works. He invented photographic processes for textile printing and reorganized the Oakenshaw works. In 1850 he was elected to a fellowship of the Royal Society.