VOLUME
22, N O .
1, J A N U A R Y
1950
7A
PERKIN-ELMER
INSTRUMENT DIGEST
A condensation of some of the articles a p p e a r i n g In the regular 8-page Fall issue of Perkin-Elmer instrument News, a q u a r t e r l y p u b l i c a t i o n of The PerkinElmer C o r p o r a t i o n , manufacturers of scientific instruments —Infrared Spectrometers, Tiselîus Electrophoresis A p p a r a t u s , Flame Photometers, Continuous
Vol. I, No-4
January, 1950
Glenbrook, Conn.
GROWING INSTRUMENT REVOLUTION SEEN IN RESEARCH, INDUSTRY Today, the scientific and industrial world is in a period that might be termed the Instrument Revolution—a minor revolution perhaps, but one that, like its parent, the Industrial Revolution, will mark an acceleration of pace in man's material progress. The Instrument Revolution implies a recognition that many of man's prior functions of measurement, material handling, or calculation can now be done faster. more accurately, and automatically by an instrument. Or more simply stated, where the first thought used to be to hire a man for a job, it is now to buy an instrument. Proof of Revolution The proof is all around us—the term, "Physicists' War," for World War II to imply automatic weapon control; the instrumentation that made possible the production of the atom bomb, and represents the edge the United States has over other countries in this field; the trends in research from man-in-the-cupboard techniques toward research teams focused on results from a complicated apparatus; the tremendous increase in process control instrumentation, and the number of companies that have started in the last few years. The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, which has always been in the vanguard of this revolution, is vitally concerned with the problem of converting a basic idea (which often originates outside the company) into a versatile, stable, commercial instrument of high quality. Its facilities are constantly being employed to develop new electrooptical instruments and increase the efficiency of existing ones.
ALSO I N THE CURRENT ISSUE OF PERKIN-ELMER INSTRUMENT NEWS INFRARED ADVANCES IN PHARMACEUTICAtS page FOR THE FUTURE-contemplated projects.... NEW AMPLIFIER FOR SINGLE BEAM SPECTROMETER MOST VERSATILE INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETER FIRST UNIVERSAL M0NOCHROMATOR NEW IMPROVEMENTS IN D.C. AMPLIFIER.... PERKIN-ELMER INSTRUMENT a v a i l a b l e free of charge—
Infrared A n a l y z e r , Low-level Amplifiers—as well as Astronomical Equipment, Replica G r a t i n g s , Thermocouples, Photographic Lenses, Crystal O p t i c s , a n d Special Instruments for the government. For further information, w r i t e The Perkin-Elmer C o r p . , G l e n b r o o k , C o n n .
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NEWS is
The articles on this page are condensations from the Fall, 1949, issue of PERKIN-ELMER INSTRUMENT NEWS, an 8-page quarterly. You can receive INSTRUMENT NEWS regularly with out charge by writing The Perkin-Elmer Corporation on your letterhead.
CONDUCTS ANALYSIS ON SAMPLES WEIGHING . 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 O F A GRAM
ABSTRACTS of Current Literature For information on the source of these items, write The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, referring to the abstract by number.
Hydrocarbon Synthesis A study of infrared spectrometric measurements in determining functional groups of oxygenated and olefinic compounds in complex mixtures of the hydrocarbon synthesis type. (No. 1001)
Plasma Proteins In adult patients with pneumococcic infections, electrophoretic changes indicate that, in addition to various pre-existing disorders, total plasma proteins are decreased.
(No. 1002) Cement Analysis A method for rapid determination of alkalies in portland cement by means of the Flame Photometer is given. (No. 1004)
Identification of Pennsylvania Oils Evidence from infrared spectrometric analysis indicates that Pennsylvania oils, and only Pennsylvania oils, contain olefins of the class of compounds R i H C = C H R 2 .
(No. 1005) Female Hormones A rapid means for the determination of estrone, equilin, and equilenin in mixtures by means of infrared spectrometry is described to replace long and difficult chemical methods. (No. 1006)
Visible Infrared An electronic eyepiece is described which may be attached to any spectroscope, extending the visible range to approximately 1,150 millimicrons into the infrared. (No. 1009)
One of the most significant biochemical infrared papers in recent years describes the combined use of reflecting microscope objectives with an infrared spectrometer to furnish useful infrared spectra of minute samples. It shows polarized infrared spectra of a single crystal of Vitamin Bi2 weighing less than a microgram as well as spectral results obtained from a single fiber 15 microns thick. It discusses the possibilities now opened up of the study of nerve fibers, single cells, and even portions of cells. Penicillin Identified from 1 Mg. Throughout all this work runs the predominant theme of small, and often precious, sampling. With standard microcell techniques, useful steroid spectra have been obtained in solution with 10 to 25 micrograms of sample. The total initial sample of synthetic penicillin G presented to infrared for identification with the natural product was one milligram, of which only half was used for proof .With the addition of microscopical sampling accessories, one investigator predicts the use of single crystals of 10- 7 grams and, with very careful techniques, powder samples at 5 to 10 micrograms in Nujol or perfluro kerosene mulls. With as little as 5 to 10 micrograms of sample, spectroscopic and X-ray study are the only possible analytical methods.
Improved Wavelength Marker Improvements in the design of the Perkin-Elmer Wavelength Marker are in the blueprint stage. The new marker will be incorporated in future Perkin-Elmer Model 12-C Infrared Spectrometers. Circuit changes will be provided or· request.
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
P e n Clip for Brown Recorders To eliminate the annoyance of marking or wearing through the paper when initial settings are being made while the paper is stopped, Perkin-Elmer has designed a spring-clip that will hold the pen off the paper during this operation. The clip is held by the two screws on the bottom of the pen carriage. These clips will soon be distributed without charge to all present users of Model 12 Infrared Spectrometers and will be standard equipment on all new Perkin-Elmer Infrared Spectrometers.
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New infrared polarizer and rotatable cell studies crystals, fibers, or any oriented sample in polarized light.
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