LABORATORY
OF THE MONTH
Main research building of the new center houses 4 8 unit laboratories, as well as specialized laboratories for analytical optical, textile, and photographic work. Here, too, are administration offices, conference rooms, cafeteria, hospital, and a library of 9 0 0 0 volumes
Campus-Type Laboratory for Rubber Research
T
HE trend toward conducting industrial research in a university-like atmosphere is well illustrated in U. S. R u b b e r Co.'s new research center. The new facilities occupy 99 acres on a wooded hillside a t W a y n e Township, a b o u t five miles from Paterson, N . J . T h u s , although locally secluded, the center is nevertheless convenient to New York City and the vast metropolitan industrial area. Dedication ceremonies for the center were held on September 18, forty-five years after organization of the company's first central research laboratories a t New Brunswick. F o u r architecturally integrated buildings provide a total floor area of more t h a n 178,000 square feet. Largest of these is the main research building, three stories with a floor space of 114,100 square feet. T h e two-story engineering research building has 45,240 square feet a n d t h e chemical engineering building has 13,790 squaie feet. A greenhouse contains 5,040 square feet of area with a controlled atmosphere. A power house and a waste t r e a t m e n t plant complete the facilities. Broad scope of t h e scientific work a t the center includes fundamental research in t h e fields of n a t u r a l a n d synthetic rubber, plastics, chemicals, and textiles. Studies are also being made of the importance of atomic energy and a u t o m a tion to rubber and its allied industries. T h e research center also cooperates with t h e company's eight operating divisions on process problems and product development. T h e company plans t o spend a t least $120,000,000 on research and development in the next five years. There are three main objectives t o their program. One of these is t o develop passenger car tires t h a t will give trouble-free performance a t turnpike speeds, and yet be available a t popular prices. Another objective is to bridge the gap between rubber
and metals, developing materials t h a t will have a range of hardness, toughness, and elasticity all t h e way from rubber to metals. T h e third objective is t o study the impact of atomic energy on the rubber industry. For example, a radiation m e t h o d for curing rubber has already been found. Special types of rubber will be sought t h a t can withstand the effects of radiation a t atomic energy plants. T o accomplish these objectives, the research center currently employs about 360 persons. Of t h a t number, a b o u t 150 are technical personnel a n d the remainder have clerical and service classifications. E m p l o y m e n t is eventually expected to reach about 500 persons. .
Absorption infrared spectroscopy is one of the more extensively used tools of analysis. Modern equipment reflects the transition from chemistry's former rubber industry role — a d d i n g sulfur and heating
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LABORATORY
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Rubber trees g r o w in Jersey. The research center has its o w n greenhouse in which some 3 0 0 r u b b e r trees a r e g r o w n under closely c o n t r o l l e d conditions o f t e m p e r a t u r e a n d humidity. Experiments a r e concerned w i t h nutrition studies f o r p l a n t g r o w t h
A n a l o g computers, b u i l t f o r U. S. R u b b e r b y g r a d u a t e students a t the University o f V i r g i n i a , f i n d use in the p r e d i c tion o f d e s i r a b l e r u b b e r a n d plastics f o r m u l a t i o n s . They also assist in d e c i d i n g w h a t p a r t i c u l a r e x p e r i m e n t s will g i v e best i n f o r m a t i o n on m a k i n g the compounds
Every f e a s i b l e m e t h o d , such as s p e c t r o g r a p h i c analysis is used in s t u d y i n g r u b b e r a n d plastics. Increasing c o m p l e x i t y a n d g r e a t e r v a r i e t y o f p o l y m e r compounds must b e m a t c h e d b y increasing c o m p l e x i t y o f instruments t o a n a l y z e them if full possibilities o f r u b b e r research a r e t o b e r e a l i z e d 56 A
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
S o a p solution is a n i m p o r t a n t i n g r e d i e n t o f r u b b e r l a t e x compounds. Checks on q u a l i t y o f the s o a p solution a r e m a d e b y a study o f single d r o p s . These a r e f o r m e d f r o m a h y p o d e r m i c syringe a n d p h o t o g r a p h e d . Size a n d s h a p e o f the d r o p s g i v e inference as t o the solution's suitability f o r l a t e x compounds
WACO REFRIGERATED
BATH
Controlled Cooling and Heating Minus 10° C to Plus 65° C
• WIDE RANGE Visibility bath with BOTH mechanical refrigeration and heating! Provides constant temperature from minus 10° C to plus 65° C using 10" of liquid in a 16" uninsulated Pyrex jar. Using less liquid minus 20° C is obtainable.
A 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 v o l t V a n d e G r a a f f electron a c c e l e r a t o r is o n e o f the most v a l u a b l e pieces o f e q u i p m e n t in the e n g i n e e r i n g research b u i l d i n g . This b u i l d i n g also has physical a n d mechanical e n g i n e e r i n g l a b o r a t o r i e s , a mill r o o m f o r r u b b e r a n d plastics, a n d m a i n t e n a n c e , machine, a n d c a r p e n t e r shops
• SENSITIVITY Mercury thermoregulator and a WACO Thyratrontube Relay controls operation of the compressor and heating until within plus or minus .01 ° C. ALREADY
USED
FOR — Viscosity
vapor pressure and other physical data determination, organic syntheses, ASTM petroleum tests, etc. Also as COOLANT CIRCULATING SYSTEM for spectrophotometers, refractometers, distillation condensers. NO. AN882 WACO LO-TEMP REFRIGERATED BATH w i t h Pyrex jar 16" diameter. For 115 volt 50/60 cycle A C . . $378.00
• Other sizes and many accessories available to fit your needs. Please write for WACO BATH BULLETIN AN-11 for complete information. LABORATORY SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
O n e o f the m a n y tests t o which r u b b e r compounds a r e subjected is its w e a t h e r resistant abilities. Instruments such as the w e a t h e r o m e t e r a u g m e n t the use o f a n a l y t i c a l instruments b y simulating some o f the end-use conditions t h a t a r e to be expected
WlLKENS-ANDERSON CO. 4525 W. DIVISION ST.
CHICAGO i l , I U .
Circle No. 57 A on Readers' Service Card, page 83 A
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