T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 9 , No. 3
CURRENT INDUSTRIAL NEWS CORROSION AND ELECTIUCAL PROPERTIES OF STEELS At a meeting of the Royal Society, held on November 23rd in London, a n interesting paper on the above subject was submitted by Sir Robert Hadfield, F.R.S., and Dr. E. Newbery. The condition that a metal shall dissolve in a n acid with evolution of hydrogen is: single potential of metal plus overvoltage less than single potential of hydrogen electrode, all measurements being, of course, made in the given acid. If, therefore, it is assumed t h a t the atmospheric corrosion of a metal is a process similar t o that of dissolution in an acid, it should be possible t o predict the corrosion-resisting power of a given metal by determining its single potential referred to a hydrogen electrode together with its overvoltage in a suitable electrolyte. Experiments on a number of special steels have been carried out to test the validity of the above assumption. The overvoltage, single potential and loss of weight in acid of each specimen were determined and compared with the atmospheric corrosion after exposing clean surfaces for ten weeks. The results show that the electrical methods give decidedly better estimates of the corrosion-resisting powers of steels than the acid methods and, although neither method gives reliable estimates in all cases, yet the electrical method appears t o rest upon a sound theoretical basis and is probably capable of further developments which may result in the formation of reliable corrosion data.-A. McM ILLAN.
CRACKING OF PETROLEUM Papers dealing with the “Pyrogenesis of Petroleum” were read before the Institution of Petroleum Technologists, London, at a recent meeting. In the first, Mr. E. Lawson Lomax presented a mass of historical and bibliographical matter illustrating the development since the beginning of the last century. It was pointed out that the products obtained, when petroleum is heated, may be placed in four classes-permanent gas, illuminating oils, aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile fuels for internal combustion engines-and these classes may be taken t o represent the lines along which development has taken place. The second paper, by Messrs. A. E. Dunstan and F. B. Thole, dealt with some general considerations regarding the chemical reactions involved in the decomposition and synthesis of hydrocarbons with heat. They remarked that, starting with acetylene at a moderate temperature and using .reduced nickel, Sabatier has synthesized fair imitations of American, Caucasian and Galician oils, while, by using higher temperatures and the same gas as starting point, some chemists have obtained compounds identical with those occurring in coal tar and of the highest complexity, and, as a n inference, it was suggested that the nature of the material t o be cracked has little influence on the final products.-M.
NEW PROOFING MATERIAL According t o India Rubber Journal, 52 (1916), 5 , a new process of proofing materials with cork has been introduced in France and has brought orders from the French government for hospital sheetings, etc. It has also been used for featherweight waterproofs and is said to be quite waterproof, a non-conductor of heat and unbreakable. By using a special machine, thin slices of cork of a n even thickness are obtained from a block of cork. The slices are placed in chemical baths in order t o remove the resinous parts which make cork a more or less brittle substance. Upon their removal, the cork sheets become flexible and may be compared in this respect with thin leather.
In fact, the sheets can be folded and bent without breaking. By combining the cork sheets with a suitable cloth, preferably a thin and strong cloth of good color, an excellent waterproof material is obtained. An adhesive preparation is used t o cement the cork t o the cloth or, if a stronger garment is desired, the cork sheets are placed between two layers of cloth. The cork fabric is said to have a decided advantage over ordinary waterproof materials because, being porous, it permits of ventilation whereas ordinary waterproof prevents it, and, in addition, the cork is very light. A coat made of it is said to be the lightest in the market.-h1. SEARCHLIGHT PROJECTORS Messrs. Crompton & Co., of London and Chelmsford, have issued a catalogue which gives an account of searchlight projectors manufactured by them. The smaller ones are controlled by hand with or without gearing for the elevating and training mechanisms but the larger ones, with mirrors 24 in. in diameter and upwards, are often arranged t o be operated electrically, the motors being housed within the cone base. Different forms of distant mechanical control can be fitted, whereby the projectors may be operated from the bridge or charthouse of a ship by means of rods or wire ropes. The mirrors, which may range up to a diameter of 60 in., are usually of plate glass ground t o true parabolic form* and silvered t o give maximum reflection; the lamps are of the horizontal carbon type. The catalogue points out that statements regarding the candle-power of a projector are of no value since the factor which has most effect on the beam, Gz., atmospheric conditions, is quite beyond the control of the manufacturer. In addition t o a description of commercial types of projector, a few details are given of a portable apparatus, for use in fortresses, which includes a petroldriven air-cooled generating plant, mounted on wheels, a 60 in. projector with remote control and carts for horse and manual haulage t o carry a sufficient length of main and control cable t o permit the projector t o be worked a t a distance of 600 yards from the generating plant.-M.
COKE INDUSTRY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Messrs. L. F. Harper and J. C. H. Minguye, in Paper No. 23 of the New South Wales Department of Mines and Mineral Resources, give a general survey of the coke industry of the province. The paper contains chemical analysis and physical properties of all types of coal found in New South Wales and also gives complete analysis of the ashes. It would seem that coke-burning, which has been carried on for a half century, is a growing industry, the production having risen from 304,800 tons in 1914 t o 417,753 tons in 1915. The report suggests, however, that the methods of the industry have not been entirely in accordance with modern coke-oven practice. The sulfur in the coals and cokes is remarkably low while the coking properties of the coals are good. The most commonly used oven is the beehive oven, rectangular in form but with arched roof. The coke is discharged with a ram and quenched outside the ovens. Only one modern by-product plant is in full operation, a battery of regenerative Semet-Solvay ovens a t Newcastle, N. S. W., with semi-direct ammonia recovery and a benzol plant. It would seem that coking for by-products should give good prospects, the yields being given as 30 lbs. of ammonium sulfate, 3 gals. of benzol, 8 gals. of tar and 12,600 cu. f t . of gas (585 B. t. u.) per ton of coal. These results, the report says, should do something t o destroy the prejudices evidenced by the older and cruder types of plant.--M.
Mar., 1917
T H E JOI'R-VAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N GIN E E RI NG CH E M I S T R Y IRON INDUSTRY IN NORMANDY
The British Consul a t Havre reports t h a t the iron mines and blast furnaces of Caen are a t present being worked by the Government, and that the industry, which was languishing for many years, is now in a most flourishing condition. A large new plant of the most modern type is being installed and the railway authorities are doing their utmost t o develop the industry. The output of iron ore in the district has now reached over ~,ooo,ooo metric tons per annum.-M.
VULCANIZATION I n an investigation on the problem of accelerating vulcanization and, in the course of numerous experiments with various types of organic compounds, Professor S.J. Peachey, according to a report in Engineer, 123 (1916), 37, has discovered that the nitroso-derivatives of certain bases, such as dimethylaniline, methylaniline, diphenylamine and so on, are capable of acting as powerful accelerators of the vulcanizing process. A mixing of IOO parts rubber and IO parts sulfur, which normally requires to be heated to 138" C. a t 40 lbs. steam pressure for 11/2 hours, may be completely vulcanized in from 20 to 25 min. by incorporating 0.5 per cent of paranitrosodimethylaniline with the mixing prior t o heating. Similarly, a vulcanite mixing containing 2 5 per cent sulfur, which, under ordinary circumstances requires to be heated for 6 hrs. at 140' C., may be vulcanized in 2 hrs. by the addition of 0.75 per cent nitrosobase.-M.
NATIVE AND ARTIFICIAL ASPHALT According to Graefe, who writes in the Zeltschrift f i i v angewandte Chemie, native asphalt can be distinguished from the artscial preparation by the black coloration (due to H2S) imparted to lead acetate paper by fumes given off, when a sample is heated to 2 0 0 - 2 0 5 ' C. for a few minutes. All samples of native asphalt examined by him gave a powerful reaction but not the artificial varieties, except that Californian asphalts and the residue from crude Trinidad oil reacted faintly. All the extracts with the exception of that from Val de Travers rock gave a fairly strong reaction.-M.
ELEC TRO-METALLURGY OF ZINC In a recent article on the French outlook, L'lnformation makes some observations on the electro-thermic reduction of ores. Attention is called t o the fact that not only is there ordinarily a loss of from 20 to 2 5 per cent of metal in the ores, but there is a consumption of 6 t o 8 tons of coal per ton of spelter. I n view of these facts, the possibilities of the electric furnace demand consideration. Electric smelting of zinc has long been the subject of experimental working in France. The Arudy works in the Pyrenees, which have been in operation since 1904,claim to be able to smelt a ton of raw blende containing 35 per cent metal with a loss of not more than 2 per cent. The Ugine works are now using the Cote and Pierron furnace. An electro-metallurgical company is being formed in Lyons to operate works a t Iperre, in Savoie, as well as in the Pyrenees-M.
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times that of 1915,the increase being accounted for principally by the construction of a good many large cargo steamers. It is not remarkable that there should be a decrease in the Dutch production owing t o the difficulty of obtaining materials. The comparative tonnages of all the foreign countries are shown in the following table: 7-191-
c -
Ves. ~~. Tons U . S . A ............ 178 554,810 Japan, ............ 250 246 234 Holland. 300 211,693 20 81,950 Germany. 30 60,472 Italy.. 44,902 Norway.. ......... 70 35 40,090 Sweden.. 39,457 France ............ 10 37,150 Denmark.. ........ 30 11,171 Spain.. ........... 10 7,862 China.. . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Russia. . . . . . . . . . . . ...
H. P. 306,895 327,776 158,765 168,700 41,691 32,244 27,433 52,400 21,780 28,400 6,356
Ves. 127 127 390 46 86 33 32 40 7 50 13
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . 971 1,335,791 1,172,440
955
~
.......... ......... ............ .........
~
~~
_.. _ _ - ...
A
1915--
Tons
H.P.
270,124 98,213 217,592 179,804 20,230 61,477 25.927 41,438 51,361 14,306 8,073 792
322,168 182,039 114,510 188,156 20,000 41.925 32.530 20,950 32,042 13,750 6,400 5 40
989,337
975,010
With regard to the German figures, these are taken t o represent the launches, of which information has been received but cannot account for the total work done in the country.-h1.
ECONOMIC UTILIZATION OF COAL I n the course of a series of lectures delivered a t the Royal Society of Arts, London, on the economic utilization of coal, Professor Brame spoke of the composition of coal, and of coal as a source of heat and power, and also dealt with the by-product side of coal in general. It was mentioned that no great addition to our knowledge of coal constituents has developed, various important points a t the present time existing where results were contradictory. The results of low-temperature carbonization as obtained in illclaurin's plant where the gases were non-luminous and the tar was of a drying character and completely soluble in caustic soda were specially interesting. The lecturer suggested a promising line of attacking this problem by applying the methods which have been found so useful in the case of alloys-the use of solvents in conjunction with the micro-structure. In dealing with the prospects for the more economical use of coal, reference was made to the use of powdered coal and to the advantage of briquetting coke dust. I n this connection mention was made of the work being done a t the Smethwick gas works. As regards prepared fuels, it was shown that the high price o€ coal is bringing gas-works coke into favor as an agent for steam-rising and that, by its use a t Deptford, a saving of 16 per cent in fuel costs was effected. -M.
COKE-FUEL FOR ELECTRIC-POWER STATIONS It is reported that the London County Council have placed a n order for eight coke burning mechanical stokers for use under the steam boilers at their Greenwich generating station. It is calculated that the first set of stokers now contemplated will, if worked to their full capacity, consume 100 tons of cokeper 24 hrs., and, having regard t o the relatively high cost of coal as well as the relatively greater degree of efficiency attainable by the use of coke, every effort will, no doubt, be made to use the new stokers to their fullest capacity.-M.
GLASS WORK DEVELOPMENTS IN ENGLAND SHIPBUILDING RETURNS According to the Glasgow Herald Supplement for 1916,there are two principal features in the statistics representing the work done in the shipyards and engineering shops of the world during 1916. The first is the decreased production in the United Kingdom and the second the increase in the aggregate tonnage produced in foreign countries. This latter increase is accounted for almost wholly by the work done in America and Japan. In the United States the production was more than double that of 1915, while in Japan the total was almost three
A new national center of glass technology has been established a t the University of Sheffield, England, and a special exhibition of chemical glass, laboratory glass and optical glass was recently held in the university buildings. The exhibits were declared by experts in glass manufacture to be good, and consisted mainly of articles which had not been made in England prior t o the war. Dr. Heath, of the Advisory Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, in an address, declared himself confident that, in ten years' time, the glass industry of England would be in the front ran k.-M
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T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY NEW PAPER-MAKING MATERIAL
According to a report in the Chemical Trade Journal, 59 (1916), 572, the Trade and Industry Committee of the Royal Colonial Institute have been investigating the qualities of the grass known as lalang as a possible paper-making material. It is found in large quantities close to the coasts of Malaya and, as it is a waste product, it can be got for the mere cost of collection. A chemical analysis shows that the grass is capable of yielding a good quantity of cellulose suitable in every way for the manufacture of paper. It is very susceptible t o the action of dilute alkalies but the final product is exceptionally pure and readily resolved. The pulp obtained after washing is of good quality and color. By using a mixture of half-pulp obtained from the lalang grass and half-cotton beaten together, the paper obtained would prove useful as a high-class wrapping paper as it is strong and possesses a comparatively high resistance to folding. The paper made from all-grass pulp, it is added, would, with judicious treatment for improvement of color, be very suitable for writing purposes.--bl.
MINERAL PRODUCTION OF SPAIN The Spanish mineral production for last year, according to official returns, is as follows: No. Tons Iron ore.. .......... . . . . . . 5,617 839 730:568 Iron pyrites.. 1,464,349 Copper pyrites.. 23,067 Copper. 285,265 Lead ores.. ........ 81,921 Zinc ores.. 20,717 Stibnite. 14,328 Manganese. 511 Wolfram. 300 Antimony. ......... 102 T i n . . .............. 28,937 ... Sulfur.. Phosphorite. 9,080 Steatite. . . . . . . . . . . . 963
. . . . . .... ....... ......... ...... ............ ...... ...... ......... ...... ........... ...... ........ ...... .......... . . . ...... . . ....... ... ...... ...... ............ . . . . . . . ......
Mines 367 20 45 10 8 50 17 11 13
......
ARTICLES DECLARED. CONTRABAND By a Proclamation published in the London Gazette, December 29, the following articles are declared absolute contraband: Oxalic acid and oxalates, formic acid and formates, phenates, metallic sulfites and thiosulfates, soda lime and bleaching powder, platinum, osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium and the alloys of the metals, strontium salts and compounds thereof, sulfate of barium (barites), bone-black. The following amendments are made in Proclamation of October 14: For “ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol” are substituted “alcohols including oil and wood spirit and their derivatives and preparations;” for “aluminum, alumina and salts of aluminum” read “aluminum and its alloys, alumina and salts of aluminum;” for “wolframite, scheelite” read “tungsten ores ;” for “fuel other than mineral oils” is substituted “fuel including charcoal other than mineral oils.”-M.
INDUSTRIAL COMBINE IN SWEDEN According to Engineering, several amalgamations have lately taken place in Sweden and an important move has just been recorded. The large and ably managed General Swedish Electric Company in Vesteras has purchased a controlling interest in the shares of the Swedish Turbine Co., Ljungstrom, and in the Surahammar works. The Surahammar works hold a leading position in Sweden as regards railway material, and this specialty as well as others will be pushed with all energy and, a t the same time, other lines particularly adapted for the General Swedish Electric Co. will be taken in hand and extended. The Ljungstrom Turbine Co. controls the Ljung-
Yd.9, No.
3
strom patents for Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Russia. A branch factory will probably soon be erected in Russia to meet the great demands of that country. The other Ljungstrom patents are owned by a separate company with which the General Swedish Electric Co. has arranged an intimate cooperation so far, however, without buying any shares in it, and has in consequence increased its capital from $5,616,000 to $ 7 , 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 . The Ljungstrom Turbine Co. has a share capital of $1,620,000, of which the General Swedish Electric Co. has purchased $1,065,600, having likewise acquired two-thirds of the Surahammar Co.’s share capital of $1,176,000. The General Swedish Electric Co. has done exceedingly well during the war increasing its turnover for the first half of 1916 by some 60 per cent and the share capital has been increased from $ 3 , 16,000 ~ to $5,616,000 during the period of war.--M.
CELLULOSE F R O M SPINACH As reported in Paper-Maker, 52 (rg16), 538, a French horticulturist, Mons. R. de Noyer, indicates a very simple and remunerative means of remedying, in a measure, the shortage of paper. I n his opinion, it is a question merely of cultivating spinach, which is an excellent vegetable and the stems of which contain 46 per cent of cellulose, while wheat straw contains only 4 . 1 per cent. Now cellulose forms a considerable factor in the composition of paper, and M. Noyer says that he has experimented with this commodity and, by following the method of the Grenoble paper-making school, has been able to produce a product of remarkable consistency equal to any Japanese product. He concludes by remarking that, with spinach stems after four or five months’ culture, an economy of 50 per cent may be realized on the wood-pulp which is ordinarily employed alone, and a paper of good quality is obtained, samples of which M. Noyer possesses. Now is an opportune time t o experiment on a large scafe and M. Noyer offers to do all in his power to advance this desirable study both by advice as t o methods of culture and supply of seeds of which he has an ample provision. --&I .
BRITISH BOARD OF TRADE During the month, December 15 to January 15, the British Board of Trade received inquiries from firms in the United Kingdom and abroad regarding sources of supply for the following articles. Firms which may be able t o supply information regarding the articles are requested to communicate with the Director of the Commercial Intelligence Branch, Board of Trade, 73 Basinghall St., London, E. C. Bakelite Cabot cloth, for Sudan Carbon blocks, for making carbon brushes Carbon brushes Carbons, cinema CHEMICALS: Ferric chromate Ferric oxide Phenolphthalein Saccharin Sodium peroxide Sulfocyanides Tin oxide, !ight Zinc chloride. solid, 97-99 per cent Zipc oxide Zinc dust (blue powder) Dental Plate shears DYES: Acid yellow Xaphthol yellow Rhodamine Tartrazine and other dyes Aniline Elastic cord or cable of 40, 50 or 60 elastic threads Gabardine cloth, waterproof or rubberized Gum Thus
MACHINERY AND PLANTFOR: Molding galalith into rods and sheets Making photograph and picture frames Making horseshoes Making eyelets for boots and shoes Making matches Manufacture of saccharine Making hempen cables for ships Briquetting bituminous schists Metal edging for cardboard boxes Metal name tabs Needles, sewing PAINTS: Luminous paint Red lead White lead Carbolineum” wood preservative Pliers, small, S i n . , American make Pulleys, pressed steel, American make Phosphorus compound for match manufacture Stoves, spirit and “rCchande” Steel hooping, in. by 26 G, S/za in. by 26 G Thimbles, nickel-plated ~
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