LABORATORY OF THE M O N T H Shell's new technical laboratories are in a light and airy building, located in pleasant countryside in Surrey about 20 miles southwest of London. External cladding is generally of facing bricks used in areas of contrasting color relieved with a limited use of color-textured rendering and precast textured panels. Considerable thought was given to the selection of color schemes throughout
4
Great Britain Gets Its First Petrochemical Service Laboratory
T H E first laboratories of their type in Great Britain dedicated t o petrochemical service were officially opened at Egham, Surrey, E n g land, this spring b y Shell Chemical Co., Ltd. This is the second major laboratory to be opened in recent m o n t h s in Great Britain. Monsanto's new Rideal Laboratories were described last m o n t h (page 40 A). While Shell's new technical service laboratories are designed to render customer service, t h e y are equipped so t h a t Sir R o b e r t Robinson, formerly professor of chemistry a t Oxford and now a director of Shell, together with his staff, m a y carry on fundamental and exploratory research. Work in his laboratory will be directed chiefly in t h e field of organic reactions and particularly macromolecular chemistry. T h e research laboratory is independent of t h e service laboratories. The laboratories, covering floor space of 23,000 square feet, were built at a cost of approximately $900,000. Included are laboratories devoted to detergents, general chemistry, analytical chemistry, surface coatings, and resins. I n addition, there are m a r k e t development and surface coatings workshops. T h e p e r m a n e n t staff will be 80, with facilities for additional numbers attending special courses. In recognition of the continuously changing n a t u r e of laboratory techniques and processes, a n d ever advancing chemical technology, a basic criterion in design and layout of the new laboratories .has been to maintain flexibility. T h e laboratory bench, together with the working space around it, was used as t h e "design m o d u l e . " T h e length and width of each laboratory are exact multiples of t h e standard bench unit, t h u s permitting complete interchangeability between the various laboratories. Another example of designing a flexible system is in the utilities. N o r m a l laboratory services of gas, water, electricity, compressed air, vacuum, together with lines for future provision of steam and nitrogen, have been so az-ranged t h a t a n y bench can be turned t h r o u g h 90° or 180°, removed altogether, or repositioned within a multiple of its length with t h e minimum of effort and without interruption t o other ser\âces within t h e same complex. Lateral partitioning also can be removed a n d re-erected at any point along the module line without affecting bench spacing or neutralizing service outlets. VOLUME
2 8 , N O . 8, A U G U S T
1956
A double-beam, wide-range spectrophotometer, in the instrument room of Sir Robert's research laboratory, will be used to elucidate internal structure of organic compounds. The research wing also contains vapor phase chromatography instrumentation
The resins laboratory has a full range of apparatus, including those for dielectric, resistance, tension, and flexural and impact strength testing. This laboratory studies problems in plastics applications. Typical are use of resins in encapsulating and casting of electrical equipment, laminates for chemical, oil, and electrical industries, and stopping compounds and cements 41 A
LABORATORY OF THE M O N T H
Technical service problems on detergents are investigated in this laboratory. Special equipment includes a Du Nouy tensiometer for determination of surface and interfacial tensions, a comparator for determination of whiteness of washed fabrics, and a Lovibond tintometer for measuring color
A miniature paint factory which investigates problems on a pilot scale is well equipped with mixers, mills, and dryers. Similarly, the market development workshop is fully equipped to evaluate resins and plastics
A well-appointed conference room is designed to seat 1 6 persons around the conference table, which is in five sections. It is large enough to accommodate 50 persons for film shows and demonstrations
Good lighting, both natural and artificial, is a feature of the surface coatings laboratory. This unit carries out customer service work and long-range applicational work on solvents and resins, involving the formulation and testing of paints, varnishes, and lacquers. An adjoining spray room is supplied with filtered air to maintain dust-free conditions
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42 A
ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY
