FISHER high-purity
EDUCATION
CHEMICALS for the Electronic Industry
M O R E AND M O R E , electronics firms look t o Fisher for high-purity chemicals in bulk to expedite sensitive manufac t u r i n g operations. R e a s o n : t h e F i s h e r C h e m i c a l M a n u f a c t u r i n g Division i s America's largest p l a n t devoted exclu sively t o the production of high-purity chemicals. Only Fisher's air-condi t i o n e d , rigidly-controlled p r o d u c t i o n facilities, modern packaging, and care ful l a b analyses can assure dependable chemicals at prices comparable to lesser grades. Full stocks in t h e 7 cities indi c a t e d * below. ALL high-grade chemicals required for electronics are available from Fisher. To cite a few: Acetic Acid Acetone Carbon Tetrachloride Hydrofluoric Acid Hydrogen Peroxide 30% Methyl Alcohol Nitric Ac*d Isopropyl alcohol Sodium Carbonate
Sodium Hydroxide Pellets Sodium Hydroxide liquid 5 0 % Potassium Hydroxide Pellets Potassium Hydroxide liquid 4 0 %
Xylene Toluene
PLUS—special etch solutions, various concentrations of acids or bases, special densities, and chemicals with purity limits to your specifications.
SEND FOR CATALOG 101 Fisher Building Pittsburgh 19, Pa.
FISHER SCIENTIFIC IN THE U.S.A. ""Chicago Boston Cleveland Buffalo Detroit Charleston, W.Va. *New York
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POLYMER PROPERTIES. D r . R. S. Stein studies polymer iilms, using a d v a n c e d re search tools installed i n n e w chemistry labs a t the University of Massachusetts
Education Gets Boost—and Blast University of Massachusetts opens new chemistry labs, hears A C S p r e s i d e n t criticize o u t m o d e d science t e a c h i n g JL H E CHEMISTRY and chemical engi neering departments a t t h e University of Massachusetts took on a n e w look as they moved to the school's latest showpiece: a just-opened, $2.25 million addition to the Goessmann Chemistry Laboratory- T h e new wings provide: • H e a d q u a r t e r s for t h e general chem istry a n d chemical engineering depart ments, plus 16 staff offices. • Three frosh chemistry laboratories w i t h combined capacity of nearly 1300 students • Organic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry laboratories • A l a r g e unit-operations laboratory, chemical engineering projects labora tory, c o m p u t a t i o n s room, and nuclear engineering laboratory—all in ehemical engineering • A radiochemistry laboratory, g e a r e d for separations a n d procedures
at microcurie levels, a n d a radiochemi cal counting room with five scales and auxiliary equipment for Geiger, propor tional, gas flow, a n d scintillation counting Floor space in the n e w addition runs about 65,000 square feet. I t brings the chemistry department a n d most of chemical engineering u n d e r o n e roof, says Professor Walter S. Richie, chem istry department head. O t h e r high lights of the n e w ad dition: a departmental library, the Peters Lecture Auditorium (named after Dr. Charles A. Peters, a long-time U M chemistry professor), a glassblowing room, two shops, stockrooms, and five classrooms. T h e new sections are heavily stocked with special research instruments and equipment. There's a Nuclear-Chicago subcritical reactor with auxiliary gear for various types of counting; a single
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Today pine oil is o n e o f the most i m p o r t a n t raw mate rials used in t h e m a n u f a c t u r e of liquid detergents, soaps, laundry aids, general c l e a n e r s , disinfectants, and deo d o r a n t s . T h e r e are two good reasons for this acceptance. PINE OIL SMELLS CLEAN—It provides the end prod uct w i t h a smell as fresh and reassuring as a pine forest.
inipaxl odor. It has definite chemical properties as a wettiïig ag;ent and solvent to actually assist t h e o t h e r components of a cleaning agent in cutting grease. And it h a s high bactericidal qualities as well. To keep pace with the e x p a n d i n g demand for pine oil, Hercules a n d other p r o d u c e r s have steadily increased their output and plan still m o r e capacity for I960.
PINE OIL CLEANS CLEAN—Pine oil does more than
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channel gamma ray spectrometer; and a Norelco x-ray spectrometer for photo graphic, Geiger counter, and powder camera data presentation. The Norelco is also equipped to program automatic azimuthal and radial scanning of poly mer films by the Geiger tube. Three different light-scattering in struments—wide-angle, low-angle, and a wide and low combination—are used to sttidy spherolite structure of poly mers. A fourth light-scattering appara tus is used to investigate depolariza tion of light scattered b y gases and vapors. In addition, the new instrument list includes two radio-frequency spectrom eters—one t o r high pulse, t h e other for a steady-state recording radiofrequency srpectrometer; an infrared spectrometer; a recording UV spectro photometer; and a 1.5 meter concave grating spectrograph. • Spirit of Science. During opening ceremonies, chemical education fell under the critical and experienced eyes of Dr. John C. Bailar, Jr., President of the American Chemical Society. Main problems of chemical education, h e be lieves, are those of general education: instilling in the student a real desire to learn; teaching him to think critically and creatively and to speak and write effectively. Kducators must teach "the spirit of science," Dr. Bailar says. Its chief characteristic: the realization that w e know so little. "Our knowledge is not final but is constantly growing and, more important, constantly changing," he explains. There a r e two ways to teach this— through either the historical or the re search approach. Many educators shrug off the historical method, saying that there is so much new knowledge that they have no time to teach what people used to think. But, Dr. Bailar points out, the theories of today have superceded those of yesterday. And they, in turn, will be superceded by those of tomorrow, even though today's seem perfectly logical to us. "We must overcome the student's reluctance to express new ideas—a re luctance stemming from a fear that he will be laughed at," Dr. Bailar urges. The research approach teaches the student t o be observant, to think boldly and creatively, and to be critical. If an experiment doesn't conform to theory, perhaps the theory may be wrong. In college, solving a research
LIQUID NITROGEN ..AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON S u p p l i e s l a b o r a t o r y or p l a n t needs s w i f t l y a n d e c o n o m i c a l ly
Convenience is unmatched. A ready supply of liquid nitrogen always available —literally at the touch of a button. Supply is obtainable days, nights, weekends or holidays — it is not subject to outside influences over which you have no control such as routing o r delivery schedules. The Norelco Liquid Nitrogen Generator consists of a single atmosphere separation column that employs a Norelco Gas Liquéfier a s the nitrogen condenser. Operating as a completely integrated and self-contained system, the generator produces pure liquid nitrogen from air. An oil-free product is assured since neither nitrogen nor air ever comes in contact with oily surfaces of working parts. There are no moving parts in nitrogen separation column. T h e Norelco Nitrogen Generator does not require expert supervision for operation. Automatic controls provide continuous reliable service, Startling economies are available with the Norelco Liquid Nitrogen Generator. The unit produces an average of six liters of pure, (99.5% ) liquid nitrogen per h o u r over an uninterrupted period of up to 200 hours. (Production figures are based on average locations and operating conditions. Output will vary according to altitude, humidity, temperature, etc. ) On a regular production basis, cost per liter is but a small fraction of most existing commercial rates. Vaporization losses are reduced to an absolute minimum. Users of moderate quantities of liquid nitrogen order in excess of actual requirements in order to insure adequate supply of this vital product. Losses are considerable, particularly if the commercial source is some distance away. The Norelco Liquid Nitrogen Generator is supplied as a packaged unit ready for immediate installation. Present users of the Norelco Gas Liquéfier may add the nitrogen separation column and convert their unit to liquid nitrogen production. Send for details today!
FEATURES 1. L o w Cost
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Fresh supply always available Clean, oil-free product High purity product No evaporation or storage problems No compressed air necessary No expert supervision required High production yield Automatic controls for continuous reliable service
NORTH AMERICAN PHILIPS COMPANY, Inc. Cryogenics Division
100 STEVENS AVENUE, MOUNT VERNON, N. Y.
EDUCATION
DANGERS of launching a NEW PRODUCT Sneil Research can help overcome them H e r e ' s h o w , in s o m e t y p i c a l case histories o f Snell clients: Product Research a n d Development T o x i c o l o g y — O n e of the largest frozen —A few years ago Snell was retained to food companies began getting complaints on the flavor of one of their green vege develop new products, applications, and tables. Since hundreds of thousands of markets for sugar. Extensive research dollars were at stake, they consulted and development work by Snell resulted in the creation of a new synthetic deter Sneil to find out what was wrong. Snell by analyzing tests, and checking on the gent—based on sugar! farm, was able t o prove that the taste— Product Application—A Snell client in actually toxic—was due to a new type of the paper industry, for whom we h a d insecticide sprayed on the fields hundreds developed a fine additive, wanted to of yards away on a windy day long before explore uses in other fields. Unfortunately, the harvest! their highly qualified staff's experience Engineering—A large midwestern firm was limited to the one field. Snell, with desired t o produce its own brand of experts in practically every product field, instant coffee, to possess outstanding found the new product has potentialities flavor, body, and bouquet. They engaged as both a good emulsiner and a paint Snell to design their extraction line, which plasticizer. Only the very largest manu is now economically producing a superior facturing companies can duplicate the product, and have since doubled capacity. breadth of experience and background Since t h a t time, two additional plants the Snell "brain-trust" of technical ex have been modified under our supervision perts can offer you! to increase production and improve prod uct characteristics. Product improvement — One Snell What's Your Product Problem?— client found their product, an adhesive Whatever it is, and whatever your prod bandage, slipping in quality. Tape was uct field—chemicals, chemical specialties, going gooey in storage on druggists' personal products, pulp and paper, pro shelves. Snell research helped this client tective coatings, plastics, textiles, foods, bring his product quality u p to equal the petroleum, rubber—Snell has men who best on the market, and retain his share "know t h e score" in that field, and who of sales. can work with you creatively and profit Product Evaluation—A Snell brewery ably in developing, producing, protecting, client wanted to expand production and and marketing new ideas. This broad take advantage of a more efficient pro experience can be decisive in protecting duction technique b u t feared the taste of not only your ideas, b u t also t h e thou the beer might suffer. Snell food tech sands of dollars you spend developing nologists, taste panels, and engineers them. And the cost of Snell service is less checked the new process and hundreds of than you might imagine! Half the jobs samples of beer made under new and old we do cost less than $1000! systems, recommended the switch t o the SEND FOR more profitable m o d e r n process. The FREE BOOKLET change went unnoticed by the customers, On Research Development & and sales continued t o climb. Testing "SERVICES FOR YOU." I t tells you how Snell Market Research—-A Snell client with can serve YOU! No obliga a waste product h a d briefly considered tion, of course. Foster D. Snell,Inc.,Dept.CE-ll, 29 W. building a plant to use it to manufacture 15th Street, N . Y. 11, Ν . Υ. another product; b u t had given up after their own brief survey showed the new product t o be already overproduced. When * * * : they consulted Snell for checking, how ever, Snell predicted there would be a N e w Y o r k , Ν. Υ . shortage within three years. The client Baltimore, Md. waited two years, built the plant—and B a i n b r ï d g e , N. Y . now has a profitable new product instead W o r c e s t e r , Mass. of a waste!
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1959
p r o b l e m o r publishing a p a p e r is seco n d a r y to developing scientists, h e stresses. • Revamp Curricula. M a n y schools retain about t h e same curricula from year t o year, D r . Bailar points o u t . T h e changing importance of subjects, elements, chemical groups, a n d t h e like should bring with them a continuous re-evaluation of curricula to p u t subjects in proper perspective a n d i n logical order for effective teaching, h e believes. D r . Bailar agrees that this poses problems with textbooks, transfer students, a n d , p e r h a p s t h e biggest obstacle, t h e rigidity of teachers' minds a n d training. But t h e need is a real one and must be faced u p to, h e says.
• The American Society for Engineering Education has published a n e w c o d e of ethics, hoping to discourage cutthroat competition among employers b i d d i n g for engineering graduates. It is sending "Recruiting Practices a n d Procedures," which is endorsed b y t h e Engineer's Council for Professional D e velopment, to employers and placement officers. F o r copies ( 2 5 cents e a c h ) , write \V. L. Collins, ASEE, University of Illinois, Urbana, 111. • Canada's National Research Council offers 10O postdoctorate fellowships, open to all nationalities, for 1960-61. About 4 0 are in t h e council's labs in Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Halifax; 10 are in t h e C a n a d i a n D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture; 10 in t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Mines a n d Technical Surveys; 10 in Atomic E n e r g y of C a n a d a ; a n d 30 in labs of C a n a d i a n universities. Closing data of t h e competition is F e b . 15, 1960. Address inquiries to Awards Officer, N R C , Ottawa 2 , Can. • Manufacturing Chemists' Association, 1 8 2 5 Connecticut Ave., N . W . , Washington 9, D.C., has published the second edition of "An Industry Helps O u r Schools"—the 1959-60 report on the aid-to-education program of the chemical industry. • Opportunities for college faculty members to work on the research staffs of Oak R i d g e Laboratories are described in a n e w O R I N S brochure. For copies, write University Relations, O a k Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies, P.O. Box 117, Oak Ridge, Tenn.