In 1806 they elucidated all the chemical reactions that take place during the production of sulfuric acid by the lead chamber method, as used in industrial chemistry.
He was a student at the École Polytechnique in Paris from 1794, when it opened, and subsequently worked there as a demonstrator.
Désormes met Clément at the Ecole Polytechnique 1801, beginning a scientific collaboration that lasted until 1824.
He left the Ecole 1804 to establish an alum refinery at Verberie, Oise, with Clément and Joseph Montgolfier, who had earlier pioneered balloon flight.
Desormes was elected counsellor for Oise 1830 and in 1848 to the national assembly, in which he sat with the moderate republicans.