V O L U M E 2 2 , NO. 3, M A R C H 1 9 5 0 The ash content of coals can be determined spectrographically on the coal in a fraction of the time required for the customary
aphing method a t 740 "C. \Tith comparable accuracies. a t the same time the composition of the mineral matte1 in the coal in terms of the metallic oxides is determined as a part of this Ppectrographic method. These data can be used for any purpose requiring the composition of ash, particularly to estimate the fusibility of the ash. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Sample cuts of coals C-66 to C-98 were graciously supplied by 11. hl. ('ooper and R. F. Abernethy, Central Experiment Station, 1-nitrd States Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, Pa., mho also supplied
445 their excellent proximate and ultimate analyses of these coals. The authors are deeply grateful for their kind cooperation. LITERATURE CITED
(1) H u n t e r , K.G . , W. \'a. Geological Survey, Morgantown, W. \-a,, Spectrographic Chemical Analysis, R . I . 5 (1948). (2) YlaTh, Morris, IND. ENG.CHEM.,ANIL. ED.,10,407-11 (1938). (3) Sloss, L. L., and Cooke, S. A. E., Bull. A m . Assoc. Petroleum Geol., 30, No. 11, 1888-98 (1946).
RECEIVED August 9, 1949. Presented before the Division of Gas and Fuel Chemistry, . ~ M E R I C A X CHEMICAL SOCIETY, a t hlellon Institute, Pittsburgh, Pa., hlap 9 and 10,1949. Published by permission of Paul H. Price, state geologist.
Conductometric Method for Determination of Carbon in Steel E. I,. BENNET! J . 11. HARLEY',
AND
R. M. FOWLER
I.nion Ccirbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc,,.Viagcirci Fcills, S. 1'.
An apparatus is described for deterniining small amounts of carbon in steels by measuring the change in Conductivity of a barium hydroxide solution. Results obtained with this apparatus compare favorably with those obtained by the more time-consuming combustion and gas-fractionating apparatus.
I
S TIIE; analytical control of steels and certain ferroalloys,
carbon is the element most frequently determined. In the standard method, the sample is burned in oxygen and the carbon dioride is absorbed in a weighed bulb containing Ascarite ( 1 ) . For most steels and ferroalloys this method is rapid, accurate, and subject to the minimum of interference. Within the past few years, considerable interest has developed in the properties of stainless steels n-ith carbon contents
