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National Carbon's new laboratory building contains approximately 175,000 sq. feet of floor space. It is located near the center of a 1 2o-acre plot in Parma, a Cleveland suburb. Characteristics include extreme flexibility and provisions for expansion. The laboratory facilities are supplemented by wings containing chemical engineering and laboratory furnace areas, and service functions
Chemical
Physics·—New
of National Carbon's new Opening multi-million-dollar research laboratories at Parma, Ohio, on September 18, brings to seven the number of major research centers operated b y Union Carbide and Carbon Corp. Operation of the new facilities, whoso work centers on basic research in chemical physics and solid state physics, will add several million dollars a year to an already large $47 million annual research budget of TJCC. Growth of research in the field of solid state physics is evidenced by the increase from 100 scientists in preWorld War I I era to 3000-4000 a t present. The new laboratories will be staffed with 350, including 150 scientists and technical personnel. Much research a t P a r m a is based on use of experimental equipment and theoretical concepts not known a few years ago. Some examples are special
Research
Frontier
microwave apparatus to measure electron spin on electron microscopes with magnification u p to 10 million times and an arc radiation furnace, 5 feet long b y 2 feet high, which has a carbon arc operating a t 6000° F . between two focusing parabolic mirrors. I t produces a total energy of 1000 w a t t s on a 2-sq. m m . area, lighting equal to the sun. Various research projects involve studies in temperature ranges of —450° to 8000° F . and pressures from vacuum to 51,000 pounds per square inch. Out of this research on molecular, atomic, and subatomic make-up of solids, it is expected will come new or improved materials for the chemical, electrochemical, metal, electronic, and power industries. Examples are nuclear furnaces, high temperature refractory materials, miniaturization of electronic equipment, and new electrochemical battery systems. One project is develop-
ment of fuel cell to convert chemical energy from fuel directly into electricity. One possible method uses a special carbon electrode in a gas atmosphere to produce high current electricity. T h e 175,000-sq. foot building, which houses 158 laboratory modules, is supplemented by chemical engineering a n d laboratory furnace areas, machine shop, dispensary, 12,000-volume library, cafeteria, locker and shower rooms, boiler and compressor rooms, and administration, clerical, and business offices. T h e auditorium is designed to double as a laboratory and projection room for research on light sources. For the past 25 years TJCC laboratories have developed one new product each month. A t present the rate is doubled. F r o m its extensive research program, U C C hopes to increase its contributions to science.
Studies on graphite characteristics require single crystals, shaped precisely and equipped with electrical connections which are stable mechanically and electrically over a temperature range — 4 5 0 ° to 2 0 0 ° F. The photos show stages in preparing such crystals. At left a specimen is shaped with an Abrasive unit, in center the material is handled with micromanipulator and bellows operated tweezers. The final specimen, with as many as 5 independent electrodes, is 0.1 inch long VOLUME
2 8, N O .
11, N O V E M B E R
1956
67 A
LABORATORY OF THE M O N T H
Prediction of performance of graphite anodes, used in chlorine production, is aided by radioactive tracer studies. Carbon-1 4 is added to each component of the anode consecutively and its oxidation rate determined. A series of such tests guides in formulating anodes
An automatic recording balance aids in oxidation studies of carbon and graphite
Field emission microscopy is being used to investigate the surface of an extremely fine tungsten needle point. Models made from photos of surface details are helpful in basic research on chemical reactions on surfaces of catalysts
Color output of carbon arcs (projector at left) is studied by use of a recording specfroradiometer. Use of this instrument has reduced to 1 1/2 minutes studies which took half a day. Carbon arcs can then be made to project true colors, as in color motion picture projection 68 A
The new laboratory building consists of 158 laboratory modules, or individual research units, fully equipped with usual service lines plus such unusual features as lines distributing rare gases. The modules have movable partitions ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY
