They tried to generate elemental rubidium by electrolysis of molten rubidium chloride, but instead of a metal, they obtained a blue homogeneous substance, which "neither under the naked eye nor under the microscope showed the slightest trace of metallic substance".
他们试图通过电解熔化的氯化铷生成铷元素，但他们得到的不是金属，而是蓝色的均质物质，这种物质“无论用肉眼还是显微镜观察，都丝毫没有表现出金属物质的痕迹”。