ICI Has New Route to Alkyl Vinyl Ethers Develops ethylene process to replace traditional acetylene approach Imperial Chemical Industries' Heavy Organic Chemicals division has developed an ethylene route to alkyl vinyl ethers. The process represents an entirely new technology from the traditional acetylene approach. ICI claims that it could result in lowering price for the methyl derivative in the U.K. to about one third the U.S. price, 35 cents per pound (in bulk). The more attractive price may well open a wider outlet for the material. ICI is now launching a publicity campaign and is featuring the development at the annual Oil and Colour Chemists' Association exhibition now under way in London. The conventional route to alkyl vinyl ethers involves reaction between acetylene and an alcohol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst at about 150° C. Dr. Walter Reppe did much to develop the underlying chemistry when he was with the old I. G. Farben combine in Germany before World War II. In fact, Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik, with which Dr. Reppe is associated, is the only maker of the vinyl ethers in Europe. BASF's annual capacity for methyl, ethyl, and isobutyl vinyl ethers is about 13 million lb. Oxidation. ICI won't specify the
details of its process except to say that it involves a new catalytic system. Instead of a direct addition, as in the acetylene route, ICI's method involves an oxidation reaction. Until now the HOC division chemists have concentrated their efforts on making the methyl derivative. However, they could just as easily go to a higher alkyl homolog and are now carrying out process development work in that direction. It is also possible to make the higher alkyl derivatives from methyl vinyl ether by a transvinylation reaction with a higher carbon alcohol. There will be plenty of raw material available to ICI. The company is currently putting up Europe's largest ethylene-from-naphtha unit at Wilton, which will raise the company's ethylene annual capacity to 760 million lb. ICI is basic in methanol from ammonia synthesis. In addition, the company makes a wide range of alcohols at Billingham using the oxo process. The company's oxo alcohol capacity now stands at 380 million lb. a year. This will be raised by an additional 224 million lb. by 1967. Only a few companies now make alkyl vinyl ether monomers or their
iCl's ethylene route to alkyl vinyl ethers...
. differs from traditional acetylene path
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1965
derivatives. Apart from BASF in Germany, General Aniline & Film has a plant at Calvert City, Ky., which came on stream in 1963. Union Carbide has a commercial unit at South Charleston, W.Va. A&S Corp. in Verona, N.J., makes cetyl vinyl ether. In Japan, Mitsubishi makes the methyl vinyl ether and its copolymers. Sansuiso Yushi, Kyowa Yushi, Mitsui Chemical Industry, and Nihon Carbide make the higher alkyl monomers. Kurcha Kagaku Chemical Industry makes cetyl vinyl ether/vinyl chloride copolymers. Reactive. Alkyl vinyl ethers, especially the lower alkyl members of the series, are extremely reactive. They could thus find wide use as chemical intermediates. But more important from an immediate industrial point of view, is that the ethers undergo polymerization reactions typical of vinyl compounds. They homopolymerize and form copolymers with compounds like vinyl chloride and maleic anhydride. The homopolymers have a potential outlet in the production of a wide variety of materials such as adhesives, surface coatings, lube oil additives, and sizes. These homopolymers are insoluble in water with the exception of polymethyl vinyl ether, which is soluble in cold water but insoluble in warm water (30° C ) . This property is used to advantage in the heat sensitization of latexes. By copolymerizing vinyl chloride with small amounts of isobutyl vinyl ether, for example, the resulting modified PVC is easier to handle during compounding. GAF's methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer, sold under the trade name Gantrez AN, is a water-soluble material used in industries such as paper, textiles, and adhesives. GAF believes the copolymer can also compete with starch on a cost performance basis for some uses, particularly as a binder. A modified version of Gantrez AN, known as Thickener L, can be used as a binder natural or synthetic latexes. At the lower price that ICI envisions for methyl vinyl ether, the company regards the material as a new industrial chemical. There is an active development program under way to encourage customer evaluation. The possibility of ICI's Plastics Division coming up with a large requirement cannot be ruled out. If there is a sufficient market, ICI could be in commercial production by 1967.
FILTER FABRIC IN USE AT TOMS RIVER CHEMICAL CORP,, TOMS RIVER. N.J:
&ss
HS§*
How do you find the right filter fabric to recover pigment particles from an acid slurry? This filter cloth must resist sulfuric, hydrochloric, and other acids-and recover particles so fine they'd slip through ordinary cloth. The answer? Tightly woven fabric of chemically resistant Dynel*, supplied by Wellington Sears. Unusual? No. Just another example of how we help you find precisely the fabric to fit the job, simple or complex. Problem-solving fabrics are our stock in trade. We offer more kinds than anyone else. Engineer more new ones. Help more companies cut the cost or improve the effectiveness of their filtration. We can do the same for you. For details, contact your filter fabric specialist, or write us at 111 West 40th Street, New York, N. Y. 10018. S-cTM UNION CARBIDE CORP.
The search ends at WELLINGTON SEARS Marketing subsidiary of West Point Mfg.Co.
C&EN
INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL SPECIALTIES
PROGRESS REPORT
These items have all been mentioned editorially in C&EN in the past month. If you haven't already sent for^ information on them, just check the appropriate key numbers on the coupon on page 46, and C&EN's Readers' Information Service will forward your request to the manufacturer. Product
Epoxy resin system (Concressive Series 1200) Treated salt (Carguard) Emulsion polymer (CL-244) Homopolymer (PVC-35) High-purity solvent (Dowclene WR) Polypropylene (Tenite 4G7DP) Ceramic coatings (5964 and 4747) Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate Epoxy system (Hapex 1200-1) Coating system (Zincllate 103) Precious metals
Stabilizer (Thermollte 124) Fluorocarbon resin base (Kynar 500) Organic ammonium silicate (Quram 223) Nylon resins (X-tal) Aromatic polymers (Parylene N and C) Benzoyl peroxide paste (Luperco AFR)
Company
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Adhesive Engineering Co. San Carlos, Calif. Cargill, Inc. Minneapolis, Minn. Celanese Corp. of America New York, N.Y. Diamond Alkali Co. Cleveland, Ohio Dow Chemical Co. Midland, Mich. Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. Kingsport, Tenn. Electro-Science Laboratories, Inc. Philadelphia, Pa. Erickson Research Chemicals Chicago, III. Hastings Plastics, Inc. Santa Monica, Calif. Industrial Metal Protectives, Inc. Dayton, Ohio Materials Research Corp. Orangeburg, N.Y.
C 61 C 62 C 63 C 64 C 65 C 66 C 67 C 68 C 69 C 70
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M&T Chemicals, Inc. Rahway, N.J. Pennsalt Chemicals Corp. Philadelphia, Pa. Philadelphia Quartz Co. Philadelphia, Pa. Spencer Chemical Kansas City, Mo. Union Carbide Corp. New York, N.Y. Wallace & "Neman, Inc. Buffalo, N.Y.
C 72 C 73 C 74 C 75 C 76
Features Cures in thin films at 0° F., and at normal temperatures in one hour Removes snow from roads; reduces auto corrosion from salt High-solids content for use in paints Low-molecular-weight polyvinyl chloride designed for dry-blend processing For cleaning microcircuitry electronic components For coating paper and other substrates on commercial equipment Make crossover lines of conductive junctures in microcircuitry Cross-linking monomer for increasing solvent resistance of vinyl polymers For potting and encapsulating electrical components Combines Teflon with a self-cure zinc silicate Single-crystal and polycrystalline forms of iridium, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium For polyvinyl chloride plastics used in packaging foods Polyvinylidene fluoride resin for weatherand chemical-resistant paints For protective coatings and binders in refractory materials Provide shorter cycles in injection molding processing For coating substrates with a dielectric or a protective coating Can be used as a catalyst to polymerize most vinyl monomers
Available in commercial quantities unless otherwise noted.
Pfizer Adds Four Specialties To Line of Powder Metals Chas. Pfizer & Co. is expanding its line of powder metals. Complementing its nickel strip production, the company's minerals, pigments, and metals division now has four new specialties commercially available for use in electronic, engineering, chemical, and other industrial applications. The new materials are: high-purity cobalt strip, high-purity 4% cobalt-96% nickel strip, Monel strip (a nickel-copper alloy), and Sealvar (an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy). The high-purity cobalt strip is made by compacting cobalt powder. Because of its ductility and formability, 44
C&EN
MAR. 2 2, 1965
the cobalt strip will find increased use in cobalt gamma radiation sources, anodes for electroplating, and hightemperature magnetic applications. The high-purity 4% cobalt-96% nickel strip is made from cobalt and nickel powders and has functions ranging from ultrasonic cleaning of intricate and delicate parts to sonar transducers used in submarine detection. Monel strip is useful in such things as electronic components, transistor and resistor caps, and diaphragms. Sealvar can be used for sealing lead wires in electronic components. All four specialties are offered in a wide range of thicknesses, widths, and tolerances by Metals For Eleotronics, Inc., of Wallingford, Conn. C 77
NEW EQUIPMENT A water-moderated nuclear reactor for training in radioisotope technology, neutron physics, and nuclear engineering has been developed by Reactor Experiments, Inc., of Belmont, Calif. Model 1100 Visiflux is made of heavy Plexiglas. Plutonium-beryllium or polonium-beryllium sources of up to five curies can be used with the unit, the company says. E 30
Thickness-rate monitor for thin-film deposition has been introduced by Filmtech Associates, of Garden Grove, Calif. Model TRM-2 has a sensitivity of 3A. of silicon oxide. Its thickness
range is 0.18 mm. of gold. The unit is insensitive to temperatures of 100° C. The monitor can be used in vacuums of 10~9 ton*. E 31
ical solutions or slurries. All moving parts in the system are accessible for observation, adjustment, and maintenance. E 33
Nuclear irradiators are available from U.S. Nuclear Corp., of Burbank, Calif. xVIodels GR-9 and GR-12 deliver highintensity gamma rays from cobalt-60 sources to samples contained within their shielded sample chambers. The irradiators are designed for studying the effect of such radiation on gaseous, E 32 solid, or liquid materials.
Mechanical air separator that makes possible fine adjustment while operating is offered by Fuller Co., of Catasauqua, Pa. The air separator is designed for use in cement, chemical, and mining industries, Fuller says. No shutdown of the system is needed to change the fineness control, the comE 34 pany adds.
Chemicals feed system that is selfcontained is available from Orchem Pumps, Inc. (Philadelphia, Pa.). The pump in the system will handle pressures to 860 p.s.i.g. in feeding chem-
High-temperature, high-pressure fluid heater has been developed by Palomar Industries, Inc., of Los Angeles, Calif. The portable unit will handle pressures to 500 p.s.i.g. It is designed for tem-
peratures to 1500° F., the company says. E 35
Tungsten-1.5% rhenium wire designed to reduce costs in the electronics industry is offered by the chemical and metallurgical division of Sylvania Electric Products, Inc. According to the Towanda, Pa., company, the new wire is designed for electronic heater tube application where tungsten-3% rhenium wire is now used. E36
An annular spinning-band distillation
March 22, 1965
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column has been introduced by Nester/Faust Mfg. Corp. The company's glass products division (Newark, Del.) says that the column produces separations approaching the purity of gas chromatography but at much higher throughputs. E 37
A stainless steel delumper has been added to the line of Supreme crushers, choppers, and delumpers made by Franklin P. Miller & Son, Inc. The East Orange, N.J., firm says 1075B will handle chunks of materials up to 16 in. in diameter with a minimum production of fines. The machine operates at a low speed and produces a low temperature rise, the company says. E 38
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drive
line has
been expanded by General Electric (Paterson, N.J.). Designated P6 Polydyne drives, the new models are available in 30-, 40-, and 50-hp. ratings. Maximum rating of GE Polydyne drives has been 25 hp. E 39
A solenoid-operated diaphragm valve has been developed by Hays Mfg. Co. The Erie, Pa., company says Marfaid is designed for working pressures up to 150 p.s.i.g. and for continuous use with water temperatures of 195° F. The valve is available for 3 / 4 - to 3-in. pipe connections, according to Hays. E40
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