I, PHYSICAL POTASH THEA D S O R ~ I O OFNGASESAND VAPORS. VOLUME IN NORTH AMERICA.J. W.Turre&nc, President, AmeriA o s o m n o ~ . Stephen Brumuer. Princeton University Press, can Potash Institute. (A. C. S. Monograph, No. 91.) Reinhold Publishing Cocporation, New York. 1943. 186 pp. 511 pp. 169 figs. 15 X 23 cm. Princeton, N. J., 1943. vii $750~ 62 figs. 28 tables. 15 X 23 cm. $3.50. - -Because o. the rapid advances which have been made in the This is a useful baoklet as far as i t goes. I t doesn't go very field of adsorption and the practical significance of many of the far. Text and 62 cuts occupy only 167 pages, and, a t that, data, the appearance of the present volume is very timely. While several of the cuts might well have been omitted. the subject matter is concerned primarily with physical or van There are four chapters. The first is called "Fifteen Years in der Waal's adsorption as distinguished from chemisorption, some Review" and in its 45 pages reviews the developments in nine consideration of the latter subject is introduced largely for cam- countries, thus stretching somewhat the boundaries of the Nortb parative purposes. America named in the booklet's title. No one will accuse the After a short introductory consideration of the energy relationauthor of verbosity. I n fact he apparently did not need all the ships a t a gas-solid interface, methods for presenting adsorption 45 pages for the review. Six and a half pages are devoted to data F U C ~as isotherms, isobars, and isosteres are delineated. A singing the praises of The American Potash Institute, a performchapter on experimental methods follows in which the techniques ance which seems a little strange in an A. C. S. Monograph. I t thus far used in the measurement of adsorption, and heat of ad- appears that some of the other authors of A. C. S. Monographs sorption a e described. The next three chapters are devoted to have overlooked the opportunity of doing well by concerns which adsorption isotherms and a critical comparison of the equations of pay their salaries. Let us grant, however, that, as trade organiFreundlich. Langmuir, Williams-Henry, and Magnus, a'so of the zations go, The American Potash Institute is relatively harmless. potential theory of Polanyi, the capillary condensation theory, The second chapter, 54 pages in length, is entitled "The Uses the polarization theory, and the multimolecular adsorption the- of Potash in American Industry" ("Industries" according to the ory proposed by the author and his collaborators. The two chaptable of contents) but covers several other subjects as well. All ters devoted t o heat of adsorption detail the fundamental the- users of potash in agriculture should note particularly the quoted ories of van der Waal's forces and their application to the calcu- statement on page 104 that "There is no evidence of any relationlation of heats of adsorption, and also present and compare ex- ship between fertilizer prices and potash prices." Presumably perimentally determined heats of adsorption far various gases The American Potash Institute doesn't concern itself with this and adsorbents. The two chapters which follow deal with the sweet situation. nature of the surface of the adsorbent as i t affects or is affected Chapter three is the "Technology of Potash Production." by adsorption. Included is a critical discussion of the following Much of the text is quoted from the excellent articles which methods of surface area determination: visual, radioactive indi- have appeared in recent years and the author has made a good cator, dye adsorption, electrolytic, rate of solution, permeability. .;election. heat of wetting, interference, x-ray diffraction, heat conductivity, Ckrpter faur is devoicd ro "Conciu~iona." With chwacterand the gas-adsorption method developed by P. H. Emmett and istic brevity, the author concludcb hi, conclwiuns after only five the author. I n chapter X I the pore size and distribution in the and a h:dl pages. Ile concludes, of cour,c, that we shall uecd adsorbent are considered in the light of the capillary condensa- more and more potash and that after the war there will be room tion and multimolecular adsorption theories, along with the signifi- for a prosperous agriculture. Amen, says this reviewer. cance of measurements of penorption, density, and hysteresis As was stated in the beginning of this review, Dr. Turrentine loops. The foliowing chapter is concerned with the properties has produced a useful booklet and has left much unsaid. of the adsorbate and suggested equations of state. The next The prices set for all books in the A. C. S. Monograph series chapter deals with the kinetics of physical adsorption and there- are outrageously high, and the price of this monograph ($3.50) fore with rates of adsorption, surface migration, and desorption. is no exception. The bookconcludes with ashort discussion of mixed adsorption. HARRY A. C ~ T I S This text makes a comprehensive, yet critical, presentation of UNWBRSITY 0s M~SSOURI CaLuvar*, Mlssooar rlasciral adsomtion .~ and --- modern data and theories of phvsical . . and is a valuable addition to the literature in this field. hi sec. ond volume dealing with chemisorption will be awaited with much interest. W. W. RUSSELL
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ANNUAT. REVIEW OF BIOCHEBUSTRY. Volume XII. James Murray Luck,Editor. Stanford University; James H. C. Smith, FRONTIERSIN CHEMISTRY, VOLUME11-THE CHEMICAL BACKAssociate Editor, Carnegie Institution of Washington. Division GROUND FOR ENGINE RESEARCH.Edited by R. E. Bnrk, of plant Biology, Stanford University, California. Annual Director of Research. Standard Oil Company of Ohio. and ~ e d e w s .Inc.. Stanford Universitv P.O., California. 1943. Oliver Grunmitt. of Chemistry, Western Reserve F..i +, 70400. 15 .x 22.5 . Department . . . - < - ~ -~ . cm. ~ $5.00.. ~ ~ University. Interscienoe Publishers, Inc., New Yark, 1943. The subject headings for the chapters in this annual volume xiv 297 pp. 30 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $3.50. are: Biological Oxidations and Reductions; Protwlytic EnThis is a publication sponsored by Western Reserve University, zymes; The Steroids; The Chemistry of the Proteins and Amino containing the lectures given by a series of six persons a t that in- Acids; The Chemistry and Metabolism of the Compounds of stitution. The subjects and authors are: A Survey of Combustion Sulfur; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Fat Metabolism; The Research, by Ernest F. Fiock; Chemical Thermodynamics of Metabolism of Proteins and Amino Acids; The Chemistry of the Hydrocarbons, by Frederick D. Rossini; Synthetic Methods for Carbohydrates; The Chemistry of the Lipins; Mineral NutriHydrocarbons, by Frank C. Whitmore; Kinetics of Flame Com- tion; The Chemistry of the Hormones; Water-soluble Vitamins; bustion, by Gnenther von Elbe; The Experimental Side of Com- Fat-soluble Vitamins; Nutrition, 1941 and 1942; Animal Pigbustion Research in Engines, by Bernard Lewis. ments; Synthetic Drugs; Photosynthesis; Mineral Nutrition The printing is excellent and many fine drawings and pictures of Plants; Carbon Dioxide Assimilation in Heterotrophic Organare included. I t can be strongly recommended as .informative and isms: Biochemistnr of Microoraanisms: The Electron Micro. .. A' A' VERNON interesting reading. ; ;& in Biology; The hemi is try of the Viruses; Minochem-
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