for a number of different uses, in connection with the separation of the uranium isotopes by the diffusion process employing UFs. The cohesive theme of the book is the story of the various attempted paths to this end. As the only published method of making fluorocarbons a t that time used elementary fluorine, and as this was needed for other purposes, large-scale equipment %,as developed for what previously was only a laboratory preparation. Part I contains reports of this work. Part I1 contains t,eehnical information from the various research teams relative to largescale handling of elemcntsry fluorine. As the production of fluorine proved to be technically difficult, means were sought for fluorocarbon production requiring less of the free element. Part 111 reports the institutional and industrial development of the employment of the Swarts reaotian, or its modification using hydrogen fluoride, for obtaining fluorine-containing compounds from chlorine-containing ones. Part IV contains accounts of the various successful processes for the production of fluorocarbons with their advantages and disadvantages. As these were technical masterpieces, the reports are of considerable historical value, despite the fact that they probably will be of little value as directions for future processing. Part V contains, in addition to the preparation and properties of chlorotrifluoroethylene polymer, an account of the excellent work of Dr. W. I. Miller, Jr., on the polymerization of olefinic fluorocarbons. In Part VI are collected reports of miscellaneous investigations related to the general theme of fluorocarbon production. J. H . S I M O X S OP FLORID* U~-IYORBITT G ~ r s e s v l rF ~m ~ .m m
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY OF LUBRICATING OILS
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A. Bondi, Shell Development Co., E e r y d l e , California, Rein380 pp. 128 hold Publishing Corp., New York, 1951. vii Bas. 16 X 23.5 cm. $10.
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THE fundamental principles of physical chemistry have been applied in this book to the heavy hydrocarbons in lubricating oils. I t does not deal with the relining processes, but with the properties of the lubricating oil. Those principles applied are best indicated by the titles of the eight chapters: P-V-T Properties, Rheology, Surface Phenomena, Optical and Electrical Properties, the Hydrocwbon Type Analysis of Ixhricating Oils, Phase Equilibria, Reaction Kinetics, Synthetic Lubricants. The author has made an authoritative survev of the annliration of those physical chemical principles. ~ a c chapter h &-thooroughly documented with references to the liternture. Physical chemists working with other viscous materials will find much in this book of interest to them. KENNETH I . K O B E UsrusnalTY OF TEXAS
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COMBUSTION, FLAMES AND EXPLOSIONS OF GASES
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Bernard Lewis and Guenther von Elbe, Physical Chemists, Emlosives and Phvsical Sciences Division. U. S. Bureau of Mrnes, Pittsburgh, Pa., Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1951. xlx 795 pp. 355 figs. 16 X 24 om. $13.50.
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Tnrs book by these well-known authors is a. welcome addition to the rapidly growing literature in the field of combustion and
are inevitable, the current book is considerably more comprehensive in its scope and several times the size of the earlier work. The book is divided into four parts. This first part, entitled "Chemistry and Kinetics of the Reactions between Fuel Gases and Oxygen," is concerned with the oxidation of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon. This portion, which comprises
one-fourth of the hook, may seem unduly long; however, it contains a great deal of detail and effectively summarizes the work af many people over several decades. Chain mechanisms are discussed in considerable detail. The attempt to coordinate the various reactions of the several mechanisms in this section by consecutive numbering is commendable, hut unfortunately it becomes somewhat cumbersome after more than 100 ptlges with almost as many numbered reactions. This part of the book also includes a summary of the b&c equations and concepts of kinetics and chain reactions, a discussion of cwl flames and two-stage ignition, as well as a short section an engine knock. About half the book is concerned r i t h "Flame Propagation" in Part 11, which includes subject matter ranging from nonturbulent oomhustion waves to gaseous detonations. The authors have nicely interwoven the discussions of experimental methods and qualitative pictures r i t h estensive theoretical presentation. The development, propagation, and stabilization of flames under turbulent and nonturhulent conditions are diaeu~sedin detail. The hydrodynamic theory of combustion and detonation, while not always developed completely from first principles, is in general presented in n form useful to the average research worker. Part I11 is entitled the "State of the Burned Gas" and is concerned with equstion-of-state information as a.vailable from band spectroscopy or from measurements made during explosion or burning processes. The measurement of temperatureprincipally by the line reversal method-is dircussed. The last part of the book, "Problems in Technical Combustion Processes," is a very short section on some of the practical aspects of combustion. While detailed discussion is obviously outside the scope of this book, there is included an outline of the Otto, Diesel, gas turbine, and turbo-jet engine cycles, and their combustion processes. Valuable data on equilibrium constants, heats of combustion, limits of inflammability, and flame temperatures have been included in the annendixes. In general thebook is well written, the printing good, and the photographic reproductions (particularly those of turbulent flames) are excellent. While it is doubtful if this work will be selected very often as a classroom textbook, it will undoubtedly serve as 8. very valuable source book to the teacher, eraduate student, research worker, and combustion engineer. P A U L hl. FTE U. S. N ~ v h r ORDNANCE . LABORATORT SILIEBSrnlao. I\l*nr,,*so
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LEHRBUCH DER ORGANISCHEN CHEMIE
A. F. Holleman andFriedrich Richter. Revised by F. Richter, Editor of Beilstein's "Handbuch der organischen Chemie," Frankfurt a. Main. 27th and 28th edition. Walter de Gruyter and Co.. Berlin. 1951. xii 526 pp. 97 figs. 28 tables. 18 X 24cm. DM 24.
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TEE continued popularity of this 53-year-old textbook seems to be aptly demonstrated by a remark made by F. Richter, editor of the book since 1930, in the preface of the latest edition. He states that the ranid sale of the 26th edition necessitated the priming of a rwa p'clitirm &hiu t)le sl& of a year. 1.111s Intr.-t ditiun hns been "rrplwi~ltrd" aftrra v.xrrinl reeirw of tlw pnxqr*i of rht. lirwrrurr u i organic chwni.try. I'rd,~hIyI,?nrrrsity, the selection of new material has been somewhat arbitrary. The book bas been printed with meticulous care and the format is quite attractive. The arrangement of the text is in the classical German tradition. There is much descriptive material, and many reactions are not symbolized hut discussed in the running text. There is no formal use of suhheadings, such as reactions of, preparations of, etc. Abundant cross references occur throughout the text. Aliphatic and aromatic compounds are discussed separately. Approximately 270 pages are devoted to acyclic compounds, about 120 to the strictly aromatic compounds, about 60 to the ~
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