C&ENI
Special report
CHEVROLET'S CORVETTE was Detroit's first radical departure from conventional body materials on a production scale when it appeared with a reinforced plastic body in the early fifties
Chemicals and
FORD MUSTANG. Experimental sports car embodies many examples of current Detroit thinking on car materials. It has an aluminum body and magnesium wheels, and its V-4, 106 h.p. engine can push the car at 117 m.p.h. The car is strictly experimental—it is not in assembly line production
Engineering
know-how,
public tastes, and the economic facts of iife are drawing the auto and chemical industries closer together
the Auto Industry This week, under the spacious roof of Detroit's Cobo Hall, more than a million people will view a gleaming array of 1963 model automobiles. The occasion: The 44th National Automobile Show. For the auto makers, the new models represent many months of trial, compromise, and decision making. This vast effort is all aimed at turning out a car that the public will like well enough to buy. For many
chemical companies, the new autos mean a successful sales effort in Detroit and millions of pounds of product used. The U.S. automobile industry is the largest single user of zinc, lead, rubber, plating chemicals, and ethylene glycol—not to mention being the biggest consumer of steel, petroleum products, and additives. It ranks second, after construction, as an aluminum user. It's one of the major markets for plastics, paints and lacquers, elastomers, and glass. And it also consumes huge quantities of adhesives, fillers and sealants, synthetic fibers, solvents and solvent degreasers, and many basic chemicals. The market for these chemicals is strongly influenced by growth of the auto industry and, as such, it will continue to grow along with the industry. Competition in materials is becoming more intense, and the chemical industry is being called on to play an everincreasing role in shaping future trends. Detroit's Philosophy
Changes
Detroit's intense interest in materials hasn't always been as visible as it is today. Until a few years ago, Detroit was tagged a "gray-iron city," and most of the auto makers' thinking was oriented toward gray iron and steel.
Then came the revolution. Public demand for higher quality and more economical-to-run autos became more insistent. The American driver was tiring of cars that consumed gas in greater amounts with each year's new models. Increased use of salt on streets meant that the corrosion problem was steadily becoming a bigger headache. The car-buying public reflected its dissatisfaction in a refusal to invest in new cars, and in 1958 auto sales hit a low for the fifties. Detroit got the message. Compact cars with small, economical engines were introduced by domestic firms in 1959. With the advent of such cars, auto makers were forced to select lighter weight materials, such as aluminum and plastics for functional and decorative parts, to keep performance acceptable. The compact car with its frameless, unitized body construction also has forced increased use of more effective corrosion-resistant materials. Auto makers couldn't afford to chance corrosion in body panels, since in a unitized body most panels contribute to rigidity. So an industry which had been myopic in selecting new materials began embracing them as fast as chemistry could produce them. The transformation in attitude took place with OCT. 2 2, 196 2 C&EN
115
astonishing speed, and the changeover in materials is gathering momentum. Today the auto industry is a coveted prize, and it's being courted by almost all chemical and materials makers. Pitched battles are being fought, with the heaviest fire coming from producers of aluminum, magnesium, zinc, plastics, and coatings. Awaiting the victors is an awesome market. A hint of the potential market for these materials is indicated by forecasts of what future auto production should be. In 1962 auto production hit 6.5 million units, and some crystal ball gazers see a 10 million-unit year by 1970. It takes more than just a good product to crack this market. Auto makers must be persuaded that using such products will help them build a better car, hopefully at lower cost. Today, most major chemical companies maintain well-staffed Detroit offices whose functions are basically advisory, tending to gravitate toward technical service operations. A check of the Detroit telephone book reveals listings for such blue ribbon organizations as Du Pont, Dow, Monsanto, Union Carbide, Naugatuck Chemical, Enjay, Reynolds Alu-
Some Chemicals Used by Automobile Companies in 1962 Chemical Sulfuric acid Phosphoric acid Chromic acid Nitric acid Hydrochloric acid Boric acid Sodium hydroxide Nickel chloride Nickel carbonate Activated carbon Trichloroethylene Alkaline-type cleaners Acid and detergent types Aluminum Magnesium Zinc Tin Copper Steel Iron (malleable) Gray iron Nickel Lead
Amount (Tons) 75,000 20,000 750 2,000 40,000 250 5,000 150 20 160 3,600 1,800 250 220,000 2,000 300,000 7,000 100,000 14,600,000 435,000 2,150,000 13,500 480,000
These are some of the major chemicals used by the plating industry: copper cyanide, sodium cyanide, zinc cyanide, caustic soda, copper sulfate, nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel carbonate, cadmium oxide, sodium stannate, potassium dichromate, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, chromic acid, boric acid, phosphoric acid. Source:
116
C&EN estimates
C&EN
OCT. 2 2, 196 2
minum, American Zinc Institute, and others. Often, these offices are apart from the usual regional sales offices located in the Detroit area. Manning such offices are squads of highly trained personnel—some are technically-trained Ph.D.'s. High caliber, thoroughly competent people are a must, since complex questions from auto company engineers frequently require an immediate answer, with no time for checking with the home office. All too often, a final decision by an auto maker on what material to use hinges on an immediate, yet well thought out, answer to a question fired at a company's local representative. Typical company strategy involves assigning "specialists" to each auto maker. The specialist's function is to pin down the auto maker's materials problems, and then help him solve them—preferably with products made by the company he represents. A successful specialist must crack a couple of very strong barriers. First, the people who make the decisions on materials in the auto company must be found. This isn't as easy as one might suppose, because such decisions are often the duty of people below executive staff levels. Thus, the names and positions of these decision makers are treasured secrets among materials specialists. Then, once found, these people must be persuaded to discuss materials needs and problems with the specialist. The reluctance to talk about such problems is deep seated. Finally, from this point on, the specialist must create an impeccable image to the auto maker. His information must be complete, precise, and accurate to a high degree. This part of the task is so critical to success that many specialists will not hesitate to recommend a competitive product, if they feel that it will do a particular job better than their own. Plastics Gain
Acceptance
One of the leading changes has been Detroit's acceptance of plastics. In 1954 the average car used about 10 pounds of plastics. These were mainly thermosetting resins—such as phenolics —and nylon, which were used in such applications as speedometer gears, window regulator rollers, switch bodies, and distributor covers. But, during the last decade there has been a change in thinking, and the emphasis has been on thermoplastic, rather
than on thermosetting, resins. Today there are seven thermosetting and fifteen thermoplastic resins in general use. Use of plastics in 1962 models averaged 28 pounds per car—an annual consumption of about 180 million pounds. Some plastics makers predict that the use of plastics will be about 50 pounds per car by 1966. Based on an 8 million-unit car year, this could mean an annual consumption of over 400 million pounds of plastics by the auto industry. There are several reasons for this growth. There's greater realization in Detroit of the value of plastics for the big functional parts, such as instrument clusters and whole instrument panels. Until recently, plastics were largely relegated to use for interior trim and decorative parts. The trend today is to take full advantage of mechanical, as well as the decorative, characteristics of the material. Designers are now designing parts with plastics in mind. In the past, components were designed primarily for metals, and plastics were often substituted almost haphazardly. Failures were not uncommon under these conditions, and plastics were not highly thought of in Detroit. To erase the poor image thus received, plastics makers made concerted efforts to inform auto makers about their products and to find out the auto makers' needs. As a result of these efforts, chemical makers are more often being taken into the auto makers' confidence and are now much more aware of what the auto industry needs. Today there is better rapport between the chemical and the auto industry than ever before. As a result, the chemical industry is able to turn out materials that are tailored specifically to Detroit's needs. Plastics makers have learned that general purpose materials often lackcertain properties that auto workers want; others might have properties that aren't needed, but which add to the cost of the product. A few years ago some polystyrenes had properties beyond the auto makers' needs, and prices were also high. But once the makers understood what the auto companies wanted, polystyrenes with the desired properties and lower cost were offered. This has led to the relatively large scale use of polystyrene in such places as heater ducts. There are other reasons for the increased acceptance of plastics. While
Plastics Used in Automobiles Millions of Pounds Nylon Acrylics Polyethylene (low density) (high density) Phenolics Vinyls Polyvinyl butyral Acetate and butyrate Acetal ABS Other TOTAL Source:
1961 Models
1962 Models
3.8 7.6
4.6 9.9
2.2 10.8 18.9 32.4 2.7 8.6 0.8 47.2
9.2 21.1 23.1 39.6 3.3 10.6 2.0 10.0 49.0
135.0
182.4
C&EN estimates
INSTRUMENT PANEL Chrysler worker installs instrument panel on one of the company's assemblies. Vacuum metallized plastic is now being used for dial facings on some panels to provide a chrome-like finish. If resistance to abrasion can be improved, vacuum metallized plastics may find much greater use for interior trim
the price of plastics has been dropping steadily, metal prices have been slowly climbing. Since 1955 the average plastic has dropped in price by about 35%, whereas steel has increased in price by more than 207c; and Detroit is betting that the trend will continue. On a weight basis, plastics probably never will be as cheap as steel; but on a volume basis the price difference could all but disappear. Plastics have other advantages, as well. Tooling costs are lower for plastics than for metals. Also, complex shapes can be molded in a single operation, and finishing of parts is virtually eliminated. A metal part often involves the assembly of several components—this means additional labor cost and a higher price for the finished part. Upshot of all this is that plastics have begun to invade areas which until recently were considered strictly the domain of metals. In auto interiors, acetals and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene have within the past two years replaced metal castings in several instrument clusters. Buick, Rambler, and Pontiac Tempest, for example, all sport ABS instrument clusters weighing about two pounds each. Chrysler, too, is using ABS as an instrument cluster facing to cover sheet metal stampings on most of its models. It's also being used in this way in several GM and Ford models. There is talk in Detroit of making the whole instrument panel of plastic, possibly high-impact ABS. This application alone could help boost the use of ABS from 10 million pounds in 1962 models to 50 million pounds by 1970. Aside from clusters, acetals are coming in for close scrutiny for use in fuel pumps, carburetors, and gears. This could mean a potential market of 50 million pounds by 1970. Acetals are also a strong contender for interior door handles and window regulators, now a 50 million-pound-per-year market for metal castings. This market should grow to about 85 million pounds by 1970. Plastics have replaced sheet metal and castings in such places as cowl, door, and seat kick-panels, arm-rest bases, dash panel supports, and some interior door trim molding. Polyolefins have moved in hard in these areas. Cost of finished parts favors use of polyethylene in these applications, because relatively large panels can be molded in one piece. Some are integrally colored, need no painting. InOCT. 2 2, 196 2 C&EN
117
POLYETHYLENE BACKING. Plastics are a strong invader in the metallic world of autojiiobiles, and few are the individual parts of today's cars that could not some day be made of some plastic material. Here a Ford technician shows the polyethylene backing for the Galaxies carpeting. Carpet backings should take about 14 million pounds of polyethylene this year
stalled cost of the plastic part is often below that of a metal part, auto makers find. Polyethylene has also gone big in carpet backings. This use is expected to provide a 14 million-pound-per-year outlet for powdered polyethylene— probably the biggest single outlet for this material. The polyethylene is thermoformed to fit the floor, and this eliminates cutting and sewing. Polypropylene is a strong contender for increased use in auto interiors, and Ford is using it in accelerator pedals in its 1963 autos. Each pedal weighs 0.7 pound, and this will be a 750,000pound outlet for polypropylene in 1963. Should other makers decide to use it, too, this could be a 5 millionpound market for polypropylene by 1970. Polypropylene also looks like a strong contender for use in steering wheels, and if it's accepted, this could mean a market of 25 million pounds by 1970. Vacuum metallized plastic parts are helping plastics in their bid to oust metals from auto interiors. Vacuum metallizing is used to give plastic parts a chrome-like finish. It's been successfully used on parts that don't 118
C&EN
OCT. 2 2, 196 2
come in for severe handling, such as dial facings for instrument panels. But vacuum metallizing hasn't yet proved durable on parts that come in for rough treatment, since the coatings lack resistance to abrasion. Plastic makers are optimistic that this hurdle will be vaulted in the near future, and plastics will then be a strong contender for interior applications such as door and window regulators. At present this is an estimated 8.5-pound outlet in the average car— and it could mean a total outlet of 85 million pounds by 1970. But plastics still have a long way to go, and there are several areas where they fall short. The auto industry needs plastics with better heat resistance and low temperature properties. For instance, auto companies want plastics that will maintain strength and rigidity up to at least 250° F., which may be reached under a hot desert sun. And plastics that retain suitable flex resistance down to —40° F. are desirable. A plastic with a coefficient of expansion close to that of steel would help solve problems that arise when plastics are joined with steel parts.
At present the only plastics getting large-scale use on auto exteriors are acrylics, used in tail light lenses. Acrylics are used because they resist ultraviolet degradation and retain their clarity. But there's a lush market beckoning for plastics in auto exteriors. The 200 million-pound-a-year trim market has yet to be tapped by plastics. Plastics haven't made inroads into this area because auto makers feel that weatherability of plastics isn't yet as good as it could be. Also, plastics tend to crack or craze when shaped for trim or moldings, auto makers say. Plastic laminates show promise of overcoming some of these deficiencies. With such problems solved, plastics will be strong candidates for outside trim. Perhaps speeding the advent of plastics for outside trim is the severe corrosion problem posed by metal trim. Today metal trim is attached by drilling holes in the body and attaching the trim with metal clips. This trim has been largely stainless steel and, being more noble than the mild steel body, creates conditions for severe galvanic corrosion. Auto makers would dearly like to get away from drilling holes, and plastics offer auto makers a chance to glue side trim to auto bodies. Adhesives are presently being developed for this purpose and, should plastic trim become a reality, such corrosion will be a thing of the past. Other factors at play include lack of suitable abrasion-resistant, vacuum metallized trim with the required chrome-like look. When such deficiencies are overcome, the doors will then be partly open for plastics in other exterior use, such as grilles and bumpers. Another potential major outlet for plastics is in auto bodies. This market has barely been scratched. Today Chevrolet's Corvette and Studebaker's Avanti have reinforced plastic bodies. Should the Corvette and Avanti reach their projected sales volume, this outlet alone could represent a market of more than 10 million pounds of reinforced plastics by 1970. Aluminum Makers
Optimistic
No newcomer to the auto industry, aluminum is still invading new areas in autos. In 1954, about 25 pounds of aluminum went into the average auto. Aluminum was used in such parts as a die-cast clutch housing and a cylinder head, and for doors and window frames. It was used because of its
cost savings, thermal conductivity, appearance, corrosion resistance, and ease of fabrication. Detroit's need for lighter cars with greater corrosion resistance played right into the hands of aluminum makers. The light metal went on to post steady gains, and by 1962 the average auto was using 66.5 pounds of aluminum. This meant a total annual consumption of nearly half a billion pounds of aluminum in 1962. There are several reasons for aluminum's continued growth. Aluminum companies have been aggressively promoting the metal. To facilitate handling and reduce costs, aluminum makers have in a number of instances set up operations adjoining auto facilities, so that molten aluminum >can be piped directly to the user. This cuts handling costs. Another way they have trimmed handling costs is by shipping aluminum sheet in giant coils. Aluminum engines on a sizable production scale came out of the auto industry's need to cut weight radically and to maintain acceptable performance in compact autos sporting relatively small engines. In 1959 GM
LIGHTWEIGHT
started making aluminum engines for the Corvair, using a permanent-mold technique. GM decided on a permanent-mold path because it could study production techniques and operating results of aluminum in engines with a relatively small capital expenditure. All wasn't smooth sailing, and initially there were problems with porosity and lack of uniformity in the block. GM feels today that it has finally licked these problems. Chrysler and American Motors quickly followed with aluminum en-
gines for some compacts. But they chose to go to die casting for their engine blocks. Chrysler makes its own engines, while AMC farms its engines out to Doehler-Jarvis in Toledo. Apparently, relatively few production problems have appeared in these operations. But one drawback still persists, according to auto makers. Costs aren't as low as predicted. No new aluminum engines were introduced in 1963 models. But persistent signs in Detroit indicate that more aluminum engines are on the way. In all probability they will be
Aluminum Consumption by Automobile Industry Total Consumption, Thousands of Pounds
1500
z
> '
1200"
900'
600'
^
CHALLENGER.
National Lead's Doehler-Jarvis Division ships aluminum engine blocks to American Motors. Cast iron liners make up 14 pounds of the 67-pound block, in contrast to 220 pounds for all-cast-iron version
300"
'58
'59
Source; Alcoa
'60
'61
'62
*Alcoa estimates
*-)'66* 1.) Based on 8 million-car year
^>70* 2.) Based on 10 million-car year
die-cast in large casting machines. GM will probably go this route as well. If the new engines appear in some big volume models, it could well mean that the aluminum engine will be on its way to sweeping the market. Potential here for aluminum: more than a billion pounds per year. Today, the biggest outlet for aluminum in autos is functional parts. The average auto uses over 25 pounds of aluminum in such components as transmissions, brakes, and power steering. Aluminum makers are eying other functional parts, too—wheels, for instance. This will be an estimated 500 million-pound-a-year market by 1970, if aluminum wheels can be made competitive in cost with steel. Aluminum is also starting to show up in radiators—some 1963 Chevy II radiators will be made of aluminum. This use alone is a 2.5 million-pound-peryear market. Aluminum for radiators could be a 100 million-pound outlet by 1970. Again, the cost bottleneck must be overcome. Among other functional parts getting the eye—differential housings and brake parts. With acceptance growing fast, automotive air conditioners also loom as a major outlet for aluminum. Potential market in such applications: 200 million pounds per year by 1970. Auto Trim a Big Factor Aluminum has also penetrated steadilv into the auto's exterior trim,
MAGNESIUM CLUTCH. Automobiles take nesium used in the U.S., some of it for clutch and production problems in making complex to use; but Dow sees 25 to 50 million pounds at one time largely the domain of stainless steel. About 10 pounds of aluminum were used as trim on the average car in 1962. Aluminum has made significant gains in this area because of its corrosion resistance. But to post even more significant gains, aluminum must overcome some other shortcomings, such as susceptibility to denting and attack of anodized alu-
Use of Aluminum in Car Parts Pounds per Car I Electrical parts, air conditioning and heating, instruments, miscellaneous Body, trim, hardware Engine, transmission, brakes, steering, air suspension 70
about 6% of all primary maghousings (above). Handling castings are greatest obstacles in autos by 1970
minum by caustic solutions used by car washers. Aluminum makers feel that they're well on the way to beating these problems with new alloys. For instance, a new dent-resistant alloy, called alloy 5252 and containing about 2.57c magnesium and no chromium, is currently being evaluated on some 1963 models. If such alloys satisfactorily resolve these problems, aluminum will be a strong contender for the 200 million-pound trim market. Further down the pike, and just a gleam in aluminum makers' eyes today, is aluminum sheet metal for use in auto bodies. Some aluminum sheet metal is already being offered by auto makers as an option for racing and other high performance packages. Success in all these areas could well boost total use of aluminum to 300 pounds per auto—target of aluminum makers by 1970. Magnesium Outlook
Source: Alcoa
120
C&EN
*C&EN estimate
OCT. 2 2, 196 2
Cloudy
The outlook for magnesium in autos is cloudy. Today, autos consume about 6% of all primary magnesium used in the U.S. This works out to about one pound per car on the average. On several occasions in recent history, magnesium was on the verge of going big league, only to strike out at the last minute. Some auto makers are a bit reluc-
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tant to tie themselves to a material whose price and production are pretty well controlled by one company. Too, there are still questions in some minds as to the possible fire hazard presented by magnesium, despite repeated assurance that it's safe to handle. And corrosion is claimed by some to be a problem in some applications. But handling and production problems in making complex castings are probably the biggest hurdles facing magnesium. Chevrolet, for example, abandoned a magnesium instrument cluster for 1962 models—an estimated 15 million-pound outlet— because it couldn't make the part uniform enough under high volume production conditions. Still, Dow sticks to its estimates that 25 to 50 million pounds of magnesium will be going into U.S. autos by 1970. Given 1962 production levels of magnesium, this means autos could account for nearly half of U.S. magnesium output by 1970. To meet this goal Dow is hard at work, ironing out the kinks in converting an ingot of magnesium into a finished part. Right now emphasis is on automatic transmission housings— relatively big, but also relatively simple, castings. Some of the development effort focuses on handling of the magnesium metal. But at least as much effort is aimed at designing and modifying casting equipment to make full use of magnesium's advantages. Success with just this one problem would bump the use of magnesium very close to the 50 million-pound target.
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Zinc Gains Steadily While more glamorous materials grab headlines, zinc continues to enlarge its place in auto makers' hearts. The reasons are many. Detroit has finally had to come to grips with one of its chief antagonists, corrosion. Abetting this decision is widening use of unit body construction. In an all out effort to build cars that don't break out in a rust rash even before the next year's model emerges, auto makers have gone heavily into the use of galvanized sheet steel. Use of galvanized steel in autos will vault from 87,000 tons in 1955 to an estimated 400,000 tons for 1963. This is more than 10% of total U.S. galvanized sheet production and accounts for 24,000 tons of zinc. The bull market in galvanized bids fair to continue. Auto makers are currently evaluating galvanized for entire door panels, as well as other panels in relatively noncritical areas. Hindering any pell-mell swing to galvanized is difficulty in welding the galvanized panels together—heart of the unit body process. But zinc interests are confident that research going on today will solve this problem soon. Once over this hurdle, zinc people predict that the use of galvanized in
Zinc in Autos Staging Strong Comeback 120
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And, once auto makers have gained confidence in magnesium, they just could be receptive to using it in engine blocks. That would unlock the door to a market an order of magnitude greater than the most optimistic figure cited for 1970.
Est. lbs. zinc average/car
90
Linde Company, Dept.CEN104 Division of Union Carbide Corporation 270 Park Avenue, New York 17, N. Y. • Please send a copy of your booklet listing prices, specifications, and information on LINDE Atmospheric Gases. • Please have a representative contact me.
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LINDE COMPANY "Linde" and "Union Carbide" are registered trade marks of Union Carbide Corporation.
122
C&EN
OCT. 2 2, 196 2
'55 '56
'57
'58
'59
Source: C&EN estimates
'60
'61
'62
70
autos could easily triple. Best estimates for 1970: 2 million tons-120,000 tons of zinc—assuming a 10 million-unit year. Castings' Outlook
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Brightens
When the subject of zinc die castings in autos come up, the industry's optimism is hedged with caution. Some 607r of all zinc die castings go into autos; so the subject is close to the zinc interests' hearts. Top year for zinc castings in autos was 1955, when 235,000 tons were used. The use curve dipped to 185,000 tons in 1958, and now it rests a shade above 200,000 tons. Compact cars get the blame for the decline. Low powered engines in compacts require lower auto weights, if performance is to be acceptable. Auto makers, faced with cutting car weights, dumped zinc for such big castings as grilles and instrument clusters in favor of lighter materials. Witness the estimated 92 pounds of zinc castings per average standard-size 1963 car, as compared to about half that average for compacts. Still, when auto makers need the deep, bright look of chrome plating, or when a more glamorous material doesn't perform as expected, they tend to fall back on tried-and-true zinc. The revitalized trend to higher horsepower and bigger compacts isn't hurting zinc, either. Research programs sponsored by American Zinc Institute and by zinc producers are aimed at putting new muscle in zinc's push for auto markets. Now approaching the test stage is silicon-coated zinc. Silicon, instead of chromium, is deposited on a coppernickel layer laid on zinc. The silicon coating is more durable and more evenly distributed than chrome plating, say zinc spokesmen. Chromium has a tendency to distribute unevenly on complex parts with deep recesses. The real advantage in silicon coatings, though, is that they can be made in a broad spectrum of colors. Zinc people visualize complex zinc castings color-matched to auto interiors, with no painting needed. Success here could up zinc casting use in auto interiors at least 25 to about 40 pounds per car—a possible 400 million-pound market by 1970. Color figures big in hopes for anodized zinc, too. Detroit is increasingly color conscious about under-thehood components these days. Apparently, colored carburetors, fuel
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OCT. 2 2, 196 2 C&EN
123
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pumps, and the like help sell cars. Anodized zinc offers an olive colored abrasion- and corrosion-resistant coating which is also an excellent base for paint, says AZI. Market potential for zinc under-the-hood items: an estimated 200 million pounds. Zinc people also see a bright future for zinc in exterior decorative uses. Auto trim is an estimated 200 millionpound market right now. The biggest hope for zinc here is an alloy with traces of titanium and copper. This material can be rolled into sheets. Zinc spokesmen say trim made from this alloy has dent resistance equal to that of stainless steels now used. It also eliminates the existing corrosion problems, they say, and cost is said to be competitive. Auto makers are now evaluating this material. If it passes muster, zinc will be catapulted into the no-holds-barred battle for what shapes up as a half billion-pound market by 1970. Paints and primers are other areas of concern to the auto and chemical industries. The average 1962 auto
used about 4.0 gallons of coating per car (1.25 gallons of primer and 2.75 gallons of top coating). Autos will consume in excess of 26 million gallons of coatings in 1962. Two types of top coat finishes have been predominantly used on autos. General Motors uses thermoplastic acrylic lacquers, which are deposited by solvent evaporation. The other major auto companies use alkyd "super" enamels, which are cured by baking. But starting with 1963 models, Chrysler has changed to the new thermosetting acrylic enamels in its Imperials, Chryslers, and Dodge 88()'s. Ford Thunderbirds and Continentals are also using this new paint. Paint makers say these new thermosetting acrylics don't have to be polished, except in critical areas such as the hood. They also have better gloss retention after long exposure than do some of the "super" enamels and thermoplastic lacquers, paint makers say. In the eyes of some paint makers
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+117.6 +
1 1 7 . 5
" F R E O N - 1 1 3 " (CC!aFCCIF2). Used a s a centrifugal refrigerant, solvent, dry-cleaning agent, blowing agent, intermediate for chlorotrifluoroethylene monomer. " F R E O N - 1 1 4 B 2 " (CBrF,CBrF2). High-density compound, used as a centrifugal refrigerant and in aerospace equipment.
+ 7 4 . 8 "FREON-11" (CCI F). Used as a refrigerant, 3
aerosol propellent, solvent, blowing agent.
Freon* fluorocarbons are an interestingfamily of 15 commercial compounds. Boiling points vary all the way from -198.4°F to +199.0°F —yet basic properties are similar throughout the group. These properties are: 1. Thermal stability. 2. Non-flammability.
3. Very low toxicity. 4. Chemical inertness. 5. Low surface tension.
6. 7. 8. 9.
Low viscosity. Selective solvency. Immiscibility with water. Outstanding dielectric properties.
"Freon" fluorocarbons are now used widely as refrigerants, aerosol propellents, foam blowing agents, polymer intermediates, selective solvents and aerospace chemicals. Their unique combination of properties should put them into many new uses as well. For instance, the low-boiling ones look interesting as cryogenic reaction and heat-transfer media, in environmental testing, and in low-temperature medical preparations. Their selective solvency and water immiscibility suggest use as organic separation and extraction agents. "Freon-C318" is FDA-accepted so it can be used in contact with food, as in a defatting agent for meat. And there are many possibilities for combinations of "Freon" fluorocarbons with themselves or other chemicals. • • • • We'll help you develop any ideas you have! Send the coupon for detailed technical data on the "Freon" family. Be sure to state any particular use you have in mind, so we can help you better. Du Pont has been the leader in fluorocarbon chemistry for over 31 years, so we have much information to assist you with new ideas! *FREON and F- followed by numerals are Du Pont's registered trademarks for its fluorocarbon compounds.
2
properties. Used as a refrigerant and propellent.
+38.4 +
" F R E O N - 1 1 4 " (CCIF2CCIF2). Used as a refrigerant. Very stable to hydrolysis. Good as inert reaction medium, dielectric gas, propellent.
2 1 . 1
" F R E O N - C 3 1 8 " (C.F, cyclic). Used as a food propellent "FDA-accepted", dielectric gas.
— 2 1 .6
" F R E O N - 1 2 " (CCI2F2). Used as a refrigerant, dielectric gas, propellent, blowing agent, solvent.
- 3 7 . 7 "FREON-115'
(CCIF0CF3). Used as a.refrigerant, dielectric gas, propellent.
-41.4
" F R E O N - 2 2 " (CHCIF2). Used as a refrigerant, propellent, chem. intermed., blowing agent, solvent.
- 7 2 . 0 "FREON-13B1'
(CBrF3). Good low-temp. refrigerant. Used as a fire extinguishant.
- 1 0 8 . 8 "FREON-116'
(CF3CF3). Used as a dielec-
trie gas.
- 1 1 4 . 6 "FREON-13"• * - ' • O • •
Ov.O,
O *•
o
1. Outside waterreplaced by solution
* o oJ,»° O O
r? o « * Y• «• h O o •
o
2. Small molecules move into the gel until equilibrium
.'£•
. » -
. o.ocfto»(2bP«P0| 3. Volume outside gel particles replaced by water
4. Small molecules move from the gel until equilibrium
I f
•••• 5. Outside volume replaced by water to empty gel particles completely
For complete and continuing information on SEPHADEX, GEL
and
FILTRATION,
send the coupon with your letterhead.
Gel Filtration with SEPHADEX, pioneered by Pharmacia, leader in dextran chemistry, is a significant advance in the methodology of separation and purification. The adjacent series of pictures indicates a cyclic procedure which is repeated in every SEPHADEX particle to give as a final result the separation of molecules of different sizes. NUMEROUS APPLICATIONS . . . tested and proved . . . a) Desalting colloid solutions— SEPHADEX allows rapid and complete desalting, eliminating time-consuming, imperfect dialysis methods. b) Exchanging buffer mediums— SEPHADEX assures easy and fast changing of buffer mediums prior to ion exchange chromatography or electrophoresis. c) Fractionating polymers — SEPHADEX permits accurate and efficient fractionation of homologous polymers by molecular weight. d) Purification and group separation—SEPHADEX makes possible fractionation of complex mixtures, extracts and many other substances. e) Concentrating—SEPHADEX provides simple and effective concentrating of solutions containing high molecular
r§
weight solutes, without changing ionic strength or pH. f) Partition chromatography— SEPHADEX is extremely valuable in a two-phase system, when the aqueous phase must be stationary and the other mobile. g) Adsorption chromatography— SEPHADEX adsorbs some aromatic and heterocyclic compounds, a fact which can be utilized for separation. SEPHADEX is supplied in these types:
lower limit for complete exclusion — G-25: MW 3,500-4,500; G-50: MW 8,000-10,000; G-75: MW 40,00050,000. All of the types are in the following sieve fractions: Coarse for industrial uses and when high flow rates are important; medium for standard laboratory usage; and fine for experiments where high resolution is essential.
P H A R M A C I A FINE C H E M I C A L S , I N C . Department A, 501 Fifth Avenue, New York 17, New York
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Send me SEPHADEX brochure
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CE-10
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C &EN
129
Organic Intermediates in commercial quantities to manufacturers of insecticides, dyes, pharmaceuticals and other organic chemicafs
NO2
CI
0°
2,4,5,-TRICHLORO-NITROBENZENE (A yellow crystalline solid, insoluble in water and alcohol, soluble in carbon disulfide. May be used in the manufacture of dyes, agricultural and other organic chemicals.)
CI
2,4-DIMETHOXY-5-CHLORO-NITROBENZENE (A light yellow powder; insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in cold alcohol, soluble in chloroform and ether. May be used as an intermediate in dyes manufacture.)
OCH3
OCH3
2', 4,-Dimethyl-3-Amino-4-Toluanilide
£!_!
(A light pink to red powder; soluble in acetone, alcohol, benzene and acid; insoluble in water.)
C-NH For further information, samples and catalog listing numerous intermediates write or phone us. Telephone W H 5 - 5 4 0 0
•
\S3 pfister (hetnical ^ork< R I D G E F I E L D , N. J.
No. 32 in the ADVANCES IN CHEMISTRY SERIES
BORAX TO BORANES With preface by Professor T h o m a s Wartik, Pennsylvania State University This is a collection of 27 papers given at two ACS symposia (1958 and 1959) on the production of boron hydrides from borax, and on the chemistry of the boranes. Five papers are included on the fundamental chemistry of boron, and one on the history of this element and its compounds. Among the applications of boron and the boranes discussed in this definitive monograph are those to nuclear reactors, "exotic" jet engine and rocket fuels, and semiconductors. Boron is, because of its electronic structure, an extremely versatile element and forms a great variety of compounds of potential but unrealized usefulness. Boron chemistry is one of the new frontiers in organo-inorganic chemistry. Therefore, this volume is of interest and importance to chemists in any of the fundamental fields, as well as to specialists in the theory of valency, crystal structure, metallo-carbon compounds, the chemistry of explosion, and the history of chemistry. 244 pages.
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Today, auto seat fabrics represent an outlet for 7 million yards of nylon fiber per year. Rayon, which is used in combination with nylon in most seat fabrics, accounts for about 2.5 million yards of fiber. But these two synthetics by no means dominate in interior upholstery. Vinyl coated fabrics (usually cotton) predominate in headliners, seats, and door panels. Fabric coated vinyl seats appear in more than 60'/ of today's autos. And more than 90'/. of the new models have fabric backed vinyl coated headliners. These represent a total use of close to 60 million yards of vinyl per year. Vinyls have been embraced by auto makers because of their lower cost and the fact that they are easy to keep clean. An estimated 60% of today's cars are outfitted with carpets. Nylon and rayon are the two big factors in this area. Carpets are usually an 80-20 or a 90-10 blend of nylon and rayon. This accounts for about 18 million square yards of carpeting a year. The trend seems to be toward carpeting in most autos, and it is being considered for use in the trunks of some of the higher priced models. It seems likely that, by 1970, some 50 million square yards of carpeting could be used. A newcomer to the family of synthetic fibers—polypropylene—is making a strong bid to enter into competition with the other synthetic fibers. Polypropylene offers a potential cost savings to auto makers, but there are other hurdles to overcome before it can make a substantial dent in the market. Auto makers feel that, at present, the dyed fabrics made from polypropylene don't yet meet their stringent requirements for resistance to fade, to color bleeding, and to dry cleaning solvents. Also, they feel that dyeing polypropylene by modern conventional methods isn't yet satisfactorily solved. To speed acceptance of polypropylene, many chemical companies are working hard to solve these problems. Many are also working on development of staple fibers for spun yarns, and the blending of polypropylene with other fibers. Success in these areas could open the door for use of polypropylene in carpeting, door panel and seat padding, and headliners. Polypropylene may also become an important material in molded or formed unitized seat assemblies, because of its favorable thermal setting characteristics. By 1970, these uses
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The auto industry is the major outlet for metal-bonding adhesives. These adhesives are usually rubber, resins, or rubber-resin blends, which are used to replace fasteners, soldering, and welding. The auto industry uses a total of more than 70 million pounds of adhesives per year—this represents a dollar volume well in excess of $30 million. This is about 3% of total U.S. adhesives consumption, or almost 77c of the dollar volume. Most adhesives currently used in auto assembly are rubber, resin, or rubber-resin blends. Phenolic resins are used for brake linings and a polyvinyl butyral laminate is used in windshield safety glass. General Motors is using a thiokol adhesive that bonds glass directly to metal. This eliminates some elastomers and gives a clean finish. But other types of adhesives may be on the verge of deeper penetration into the auto market. Some chemical companies are suggesting that urethane adhesives may. be the answer to attaching trim to the auto* body. At present, urethane adhesives are costly. Also, they don't now have rapid bond strength formation. This means that clamps have to be used to keep the trim in place until the adhesive sets. Auta makers object to this, as it adds to the cost. A possible solution could be an adhesive with a catalyst that allows the adhesive to set at a rate that's neither too fast nor too slow. Some chemical makers feel that they're well on the way to a solution of this problem. The dream of adhesives makers is the all-glued auto. This doesn't seem likely to become a reality in this decade.
REPRINTS . . . . . . of this special report on chemicals and the auto industry are available at the following prices: One to nine copies—75 cents each 10 to 4 9 c o p i e s — 1 5 % discount 5 0 to 9 9 c o p i e s — 2 0 % discount Prices for larger quantities on request Address orders to Reprint Department, ACS Applied Publications, 1155 16th St., N.W., Washington 6, D.C.
