LABORATORY OF THE MONTH
FMC Expands Princeton Research Center completion of a new addition R ecent provides the Chemical Divisions,
Reactivity of coke, made by a new FMC process, is being determined above. Use of sub-bituminous coal as a source of coke is of considerable interest to FMC and U.S. Steel, who jointly are building a plant at Kemmerer, Wyoming, the site of huge low-grade coal reserves. FMC will use metallurgical coke in its Pocatello, Idaho, phosphorus furnace and U.S. Steel in its western steel plants
Food Machinery and Chemical Corp., with adequate facilities for its ever-expanding research and development program. The Chemical Divisions' Research and Development Center, located on a 37-acre site near Princeton, N. J., is adjacent to the James Forrestal Research Laboratories of Princeton University. Construction on the center started in 1955. At that time a 700-foot building with 45,000 square feet of floor space was constructed. The new addition, completed early this year, increases floor space by more than 50%. All areas, except pilot plant, are air-conditioned. Facilities are now available for 250 chemists, chemical engineers, technicians, and supporting personnel. The building is of modern design and is faced with brick and glass and trimmed in aluminum fascia and Tennessee split marble. The central portion contains the lobby, conference rooms, and library. The smaller wing (north) houses offices. The two-level south wing is devoted to laboratory use. The new wing features specially designed pilot scale facilities for studies of textiles, pulp and paper, detergents, metals, and other fields of interest to FMC. I t also houses the Central Chemical Patent office. The work of the Research Center is divided into three sections: organic chemical, inorganic chemical, and a central group. The central group performs general analytical work for all the chemical divisions. These are Becco Chemical, Chemicals and Plastics, Chlor-Alkali, Mineral Products, Niagara Chemical, and Fairfield Chemicals. The central group carries out statistical and engineering studies. Work of the organic group includes research in polymer applications, functional fluids, special organic compounds, and safety of pesticides. The inorganic section includes full scale testing facilities for chemicals used in textile, pulp and paper, metallurgy, detergent, and other industrial applications. A portion of the center is devoted to petrochemical research carried on by Petro-Tex Chemical Corporation, a company equally owned by FMC and Tennessee Gas Transmission Company. VOL. 32, NO. 7, JUNE 1960
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Additional construction at FMC's Chemical Divisions' Research and Development Center near Princeton, Ν. J., is now complete with the open ing of a new wing. The facilities can house 250 persons One technique used to study complex organic mixtures consists of gas chromatography separation, collection of the separated fractions in multiple collectors as indicated by the recorder trace, and finally analysis in a mass spectrometer as shown in photo
Insecticide research is important in FMC's operations. Shown below is an elemental tracer analysis of insec ticides tagged with radioisotopes ψ
WACO REFRIGERATED
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Analytical studies of epoxidation and other organic oxidation reactions frequently require unique equipment. Shown is sample collection from a column which comes up from the floor below • WIDE RANGE Visibility bath with BOTH mechanical refrigeration and heating. Provides constant temperature from minus 10° C to plus 65° C using 10" of liquid in a 16" uninsulated Pyrex jar. Using less liquid minus 20° C is obtainable. • SENSITIVITY Mercury thermoregulator and a WACO Thyratrontube Relay controls operation of the compressor and heating until within plus or minus .01° C. •
Accurate analyses of modified asphalt are essential in developing special formulations for such products as floor tile and roof shingles
ALREADY
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FOR — Viscosity
vapor pressure and other physical data determination, organic syntheses, ASTM petroleum tests, etc. Also as COOLANT CIRCULATING SYSTEM for spectrophotometers, refractometers, distillation condensers.
A counting-recorder is an important tool in tracing radioactive elements used in complex chemical reactions and analysis of tagged materials. Insecticide samples are being examined below
NO. N882 WACO L0-TEMP REFRIGERATED BATH w i t h Pyrex jar 12" diameter. For 115 volt 5 0 / 6 0 cycle A C . . $390.00
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LABORATORY SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
WILKENS-ANDERSON CO. 4525 W. DIVISION ST.
CHICAGO 51, ILL.
Circle No. 105 on Readers' Service Card VOL.
32, NO. 7, JUNE 1960
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