REPORTS
I/EC
Graphite Fibers I HE carbon atom is starting to flex its nucleus in the fiber business. Latest addition: graphite fibers de veloped by National Carbon, a divi sion of Union Carbide. These fibers can be worked into any textile form—yarns, braids, and felts or fabrics that are woven or knit. Earlier, Pittsburgh Coke & Chem ical and Atomic Labs developed car bon fibers which are masses of long and short filaments. In Pitt Coke's process, the fibers are made from coke oven gas; Atomic's is based on pyrolyzing rayon. Barneby-Cheney now has the latter route in pilot plant, as does Pitt Coke its process. National Carbon, however, goes beyond the carbon stage to the graphite form. It does this by elec trically heating a fiber such as rayon to temperatures around 5400° F. The fiber is thus converted to graph ite with a product purity which ex ceeds 99.9% graphite. National Carbon has applied for patents on its process. The company figures these graph ite fibers will offer a tremendous military and industrial potential. Evaluation is under way. Possibili ties include use:
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a class... by itself
piccolyte PICCOLYTE is outstanding in critical compounding. The excellent chemical properties of PICCOLYTE Resins along with its color stability provides many compounding opportunities.
The trademark of quality Torch test with stainless steel a n d g r a p h i t e cloth strips shows the melting action of the flame on the steel, a n d the absence of melting of the g r a p h i t e (Continued on page
PENNSYLVANIA INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL CORPORATION CLAIRTON, PENNSYLVANIA
JfiΛ) Circle No. 1 on Readers' Service Card VOL.
5 1 , NO. 6
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JUNE 1959
39 A
I/EC
REPORTS
• As a reinforcing agent in plastics and refractories used at high temperatures • To add electrical and thermal conductivity to nonconducting materials • As filters for hot, nonoxidizing gases • In equipment to handle corrosive fluids • As thermoelectrical elements, vacuum tube grids, and infrared emitters • In thermal and acoustical insulations • Where self-lubrication properties are desired—for example, in valve packings and gaskets for high temperature seals such as those in jet engines.
FOR YOU! ...this brochure on high purity CRESYLICS Just published, this useful literature is complete.with product descriptions, specifications, and suggested uses. One or more of Pitt-Consol's phenols, cresols or cresylic acids may lead you to reduced costs, improved production, new products. For immediate reference consult our insert in Chemical Materials Catalog...To obtain your personal copy write us today.
JR.
PITT-CONSOL
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Chemical Company
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i 9 | O O R E M U S A V E . · N E W A R K S, N . J .
A subsidiary of Consolidation Coal Company
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Circle No. 71 on Readers' Service Card 40 A
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
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Graphite fibers and fabrics can be produced in the same wide range of textures as are available in conventional textile forms. Here are but four of the various weaves of graphite cloth being experimentally produced
The graphite fibers are not in commercial production yet, but National Carbon is selling experimental quantities for about SI.50 a square foot. Typically, the product is a cloth of square weave, 28 by 28 construction, made in 40-inch width up to 7 feet long. Average thickness is 0.024 inch. W.S.F.
