CHEMICAL EDUCATION similarity, t h e vinyl silicones can form a n intimate b o n d between glass a n d organic c o m p o u n d s such as plastic polymers. A practical application of this phenomenon is found in the b o n d i n g of glass fibers t o polyesters in reinforced plastics, said D r . McCandless. T h e b o n d is particularly valuable in decreasing t h e susceptibility of such products to d a m a g e t h r o u g h moisture permeation. T h e following table indicates t h e extent to which pretreatment of glass fibers with vinyl silicones enhances t h e resistance of glass-reinforced plastics t o weakening b y wetting.
G. M. Butler of C a r b o r u n d u m Co., holding sample of alumina-silica insulating wool, answers inquiries r e g a r d i n g his display of samples of abrasives a n d superrefractories
DIVISION OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
Educafors Brought Up to Date O n Industry Advances ^ N i a g a r a frontier industries share actively in recent advances in chemistry ^ Munseli ond Ostwald color classification systems analyzed, compared ^ G r a d u a t e colleges imperfect trainers, but may be unfairly criticized
as
teacher
^ Hildebrand denounces intellectual ship in departmental administration
dictator-
JLN A symposium led by Arthur Campbell of Commercial Solvents, representatives of industries on t h e Niagara Frontier b r o u g h t m e m b e r s of t h e Division of Chemical E d u cation u p to date on m a n y of the BuffaloNiagara Falls area's recent advances in chemistry. An explanation of t h e m e t h o d s employed in t h e production of synthetic gems, presented by E. L . McCandless ol Linde Air Products Co., was adequately illustrated b y a showing of large singlecrystal samples of synthetic sapphires and rubies. Such crystals a r e now p r o d u c e d commercially, primarily for industrial use, said D r . McCandless. T h e crystals are grown slowly in gas flames b y a technique first developed in France nearly a half-century ago, b u t not exploited in the United States until within the past few years. Besides special flame techniques, the requirements for p r o d u c tion of high-quality crystals, said Dr. McCandless, are low-cost sources of pure
VOLUME
3 0,
NO.
14
oxygen, p u r e hydrogen, and high purity refractory solids. T e m p e r a t u r e control is important; sapphires, for example, are best m a d e at a t e m p e r a t u r e of about 2050 °C. Turning t o another phase of his company's developmental activities, Dr. McCandless mentioned experimental work with silicones, a n d outlined some of the special properties which make this group such an interesting segment of the organometallic family. M a n y u n i q u e uses have developed for t h e methyl and phenyl silicones, for example, on the basis of their unusual resistance to oxidation at high temperatures, their minimal changes in viscosity with c h a n g e s in temperature, their surface active properties, and their incompatibility with most common organic compounds. In the vinyl silicones, relative newcomers in the field, the silicon-oxygen b r i d g e is nearly identical w i t h that in glass, Dr. McCandless pointed out. Because of this
» » » » APRIL
7, 1 9 5 2
Flexural Flexural Strength, Strength, Glass Lb./Sq. In., Lb./Sq. In., Treatment Dry — Wet a % Loss None 22,000 48,000 Present commercial siz40 30,000 ing 50,000 Vinyl silox60,000 ane sizing 65,000 ° After 2 horn* in boiling water. New
Abrosives
and
Refractories.
Electric furnace techniques are turning out new compounds suitable for abrasives a n d superrefractories, a n d new forms of previously known compounds of this type, said G. M. Butler of the Carborundum Co. Special high temperature applications, such as those inherent in rocket nozzles a n d combustion chambers, are possible outlets for some of these new products. Solid silicon nitride and a refractory synthetic "wool," for example, were among t h e n e w materials exhibited by Dr. Butler. T h e silicon nitride shows promise for use in machined rocket parts, while the wool, m a d e up of equal parts of alumina a n d silica, is expected to serve as a high t e m p e r a t u r e insulating material for use in rockets or jet engines. A sample of zirconium boridc shown b y Dr. Butler is still a laboratory curiosity with a selling price of "several dollars p e r pound." Chlorine Production T r e n d s . At the e n d of 1951, according to William Gardiner of Mathieson Chemical Co., the United States' chemical industry was producing chlorine at the rate of 7000 tons per day. Even this record high rate, however, will b e boosted hy 5 0 % upon the completion of all expansion projects now on the boards or actually in progress. A significant trend has evolved in the announcements of projected increases in capacity, showing a decided swing toward mercury cells in chlorine-caustic manufacture. Of the new capacity, Dr. Gardiner reported, 3 7 % will b e based o.. the mercury cell, as compared with only 7 % produced h y this means in plants now operating. T h e upswing in mercury cell chlorine will be made entirely at t h e expense of diaphragm cell chlorine, which currently accounts for 84% of total production, but will win only 54%, of t h e new capacity. Sodium cells and the nitrosyl chloride process will essentially maintain their present shares of about S % and 1 % , respectively, of total production. An important reason for the rising interest in the mercury cell, Dr. Gardiner
1375
121st NATIONAL ACS MEETING—BUFFALO
O r d w a y T e a d ( l e f t ) , H a r p e r Brothers, and Raymond E . Kirk, Brooklyn Poly, continue discussion following their participation in Symposium on Preparation of College Chemistry Teachers stated, is its ability to turn out high purity rayon grade caustic as co-product. While definitely not recommending perpetuation of the status quo in g r a d u a t e school programs, Raymond E. Kirk of Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn opined that much of the criticism levelled at graduate schools b y college administrators is specious. It is possible, said D r . Kirk, to get good teachers from the present p r o gram, if administrators will b e realistic in their recruiting methods, and aggressive in their pursuit of carefully planned departmental procedures for t h e development of young teachers. While there is always room for improvement in graduate school programs, Dr. Kirk indicated, t h e college administrator seeking good teachers cannot reasonably expect to find in t h e graduate student all t h e qualities of an experienced professor. Most teaching skills must b e developed gradually over a period of years, through direct contact with students a n d classes of all types.
> intellectual Dictatorship
M. G . Mellon ( r i g h t ) of P u r d u e , leader of symposium on color, is briefed on u s e of the "color solid" by W . C . Granville of t h e Container C o r p . of America
atmosphere is essential; n e w ideas must be continually introduced, and discussions on live topics must be held; intellectual authority must be absent. T h e chairman of a science department should b e a scientist, and in being chairman, should not give u p being a scientist. If a professor is teacher, scientist, and scholar all in one, Dr. H i l d e b r a n d declared, "those who s t u d y with him are apprenticed to a teacher, a n d this, I contend, is the way for t h e making of a teacher." N e w Polymers. A m o n g the most recent entrants in the polymeric fiber and film race, as viewed b y E m m e t t e F. Izard of D u Pont, are the aromatic polyesters, b a s e d principally upon p-xylene. Included in this group are Terylene, D a c r o n (fiber), G e o r g e A. Scherer of E a r l h a m College with inexpensive x-ray diffraction apparatus built from discarded medical x-ray equipment. The a p p a r a t u s , he said, can b e m a d e easily by a n y teacher for u s e in demonstration of crystal analysis in general chemistry
First recipient of the Scientific Apparatus Makers Award in Chemical Education, Joel H. Hildebrand of the University of California flavored his award address with strong criticism of many American educational practices. From t h e frequent stifling of natural curiosity in children to t h e occasionally totalitarian administration of university departments, said Dr. Hildebrand, our educators stray from the most propitious path for the development of wisdom in students. "Universities are often t h e least democratic of all institutions in this democratic land," he asserted. But it is only through open-mindedness toward new ideas, coupled with an atmosphere of free give-and-take, that intellectual stimuli can have free play. In t h e development of teachers, especially, it is important that the best possible environment be created a n d maintained. A stimulating exciting intellectual
1376
CHEMICAL
a n d Mylar ( film ), t h e last h a v i n g been a n n o u n c \ by D u Pont only a few m o n t h s ago. Mylar's properties h a v e already led to its commercial testing or actual, use as a h e a v y duty w r a p p i n g fihn, a heat-shrinkable w r a p for special applications, an insulating material for electric motors a n d capacitors, a light w e i g h t replacement for glass in storm windows, a n d a p h o t o graphic film base w i t h minimized fire hazards. T h e many new polymers which have entered t h e m a r k e t within t h e last few years are not engaged merely in a freefor-all scramble for sales dollars, Dr. Izard stated. Each product h a s its own u n i q u e combination of properties, giving it t h e a d v a n t a g e over all others in certain applications or u n d e r certain conditions. E a c h fills at least one n e e d more completely t h a n does a n y other, a n d t h u s will comm a n d its portion of t h e m a r k e t until excelled b y some n e w or improved product. Hydrogen Peroxide. T h e increased availability of relatively stable commercial hydrogen peroxide, particularly in concentrations higher t h a n those offered many years ago, h a v e l e d to t h e development of several new large-scale uses for this important oxidizing agent. O n e such use is t h e treatment of cotton goods to bleach t h e fibers a n d remove sizing a n d natural waxes or fats. Another is t h e bleaching of groundwood p u l p to m a k e it acceptable as a constituent of p a p e r for "slick" magazines, replacing much chemical pulpwood which is produced at higher cost a n d less complete utilization of available wood supplies. Peroxide c a n n o w b e purchased in large quantities, said E . S. Shanley of Buffalo Electro-Chemical Co., in concentrations of 3 5 , 50, 70, a n d even 9 0 % in special cases. Investigation of t h e properties of t h e p u r e compound h a s indicated t h a t many possible n e w uses m a y develop, although as yet t h e behavior of t h e p u r e c o m p o u n d and of its solutions is only partially understood. As research uncovers more informa-
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
C H E M I C A L LITERATURE
tion concerning hydrogen peroxide's properties, Dr. Shanley predicted, additional unique applications, such as its present use as an auxiliary fuel in rocket jets, will be born. ^Symposium on C o l o r Two principal systems of color classification and comparison were analyzed, and their similarities and differences were demonstrated during the color symposium in the Division of Chemical Education. In the Munsell system, outlined b y D . B. Judd of the National Bureau of Standards, color shades are arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, and designated by means of code letters and numbers which indicate their intensity of basic color, and their degree of admixture with black or white. In the Ostwald system, black, white, and the basic color under consideration are made the corners of an equilateral triangle, and intermediate shades are arranged in regular fashion along the edges of the triangle, or in the proper positions within the enclosed area. This system, advocated by W. C. Granville of Container Corp. of America, uses descriptive adjectives along with color names, rather than symbols, as its means of designating various shades of a given basic color. The use of word descriptions, said Mr. Granville, has made possible the development of a "color dictionary" based on the Ostwald system, using color names which are in fairly close agreement with those generally used in merchandising. An important contribution of the chemist in the field of color classification, Mr. Granville pointed out, has been the development of stable pigments, dyes, and vehicles for the preparation of color comparison standards. A set of standard color chips prepared in 1942, and characterized at that time by spectrophotometry measurements have shown no detectable change in color during the intervening decade, Mr. Granville stated. Spectrophotometric spot checks are made periodically on the standard chips, in order to ensure continued accuracy in color comparison studies. A recently announced instrument for the detection and measurement of color nuances, according to G. L. Buc of American Cyanamid, offers a finer degree of distinction and shows the first signs of rivalling the human eye in color sensitivity. Further development of instruments of this type, he predicted, will lead to their use in color production and control. Instruments have long been useful in color studies, but their inaccuracy in comparison with the human eye has prevented automatization of processes dependent upon very slight color changes, Dr. Buc said. ^ Preparation of College Chemistry Teachers An important part of the annual program of any educational institution, said V O L U M E
3 0,
NO.
14
Ordway Tead of Harper Brothers, should be a re-examination and written evaluation of the over-all purpose of the institution. Similarly, he said, the heads of various departments—chemistry departments being the case in point—should regularly re-evaluate their programs and objectives in the light of their relationship to the over-all objectives of the institution, revising and restating them whenever neces-
sary. Introspection of this kind, h e observed, will help to prevent the development of narrow educational limits along departmental lines, and will offset to a large extent die tendency to produce specialists trained only within the bounds of specific disciplines. This tendency toward narrow specialization may be especially strong in strictly scientific courses, Dr. Tead warned.
„
.
Îsëy
C. G. Salmon, Bausch & Lamb Optical; Lucille Jackson, Penn State College; Hanna Friedenstein, Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc.; Mary Dailey, Corn Products Refining; S. A. Harris (at microphone), Merck & Co., Inc., in discussion on company abstract bulletins DIVBSION OF C H E M I C A L LITERATURE
f r a r e d C o p>ying Stirs Interest ec D a t a Researchers ^ Pharmaceutical companies broadening central units and coordinating vital information • Statistical sources increasing here and a b r o a d for the study of chemical markets JL HOSE engaged in the highly specialized field of chemical documentation are as a rule a well-trained, reserved, and diligently occupied group of technical workers. They can maintain their calm under a barrage of information demands from the research and engineering staff that would cause the patient and sainted Job of old to fly off the handle. But show them a new way of speeding or improving their work, or introduce them to a new piece of equipment, and watch their enthusiasm catch fire. This is what happened, if we may be allowed a slight amount of exaggeration, at the meeting of the Division of Chemical Literature when C. S. Miller of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing demonstrated the infrared dry method of duplicating. APRIL
7,
19 5 2
The new copying method is called Thermo-Fax; it involves no chemical processing steps but employs paper with a heat-sensitive surface and a colored backing. On placing the paper in contact with the material to be copied and exposing it to infrared light, the coating melts opposite dark portions and permits the backing to show through ( C&EN, Oct. 29, 1951, page 4603). £> Clearinghouses C o o r d i n a t e Information Advances in indexing and abstracting procedures highlighted the symposium on chemical-biological clearinghouses, over which William H. Longenecker of Du Pont presided. The new, centralized unit idea involves revisions in indexing, ac1377
