Industrial Research in 1940 Advances in the United States and Other

NEWSED HARRISON E . HOWE, Editor

Published by the American Chemical Society VOLUME 19

JANUARY 10, 1941

NUMBER 1

Industrial Research in 1940 Advances in the United States and Other Countries WILLIAM A. HAMOR Mellon Institute, Pittsburgh, Penna.

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THE United States during 1940metallurgy, agricultural and organic chemi­ cal technology, petroleum, and syn­ thetic textiles, rubber, and resins have been the dominant fields of industrial re­ search. British, German, and Soviet in­ vestigations have been concerned espe­ cially with metals, coal and petroleum products, paints, plastics, and foods. In Italy motor fuels, chemicals, explosives, and textile fibers, a n d in Japan hydro­ carbons, solvents, cellulose products, syn­ thetic rubber, and marine and vegetable oils have been the main subjects of re­ search. The potential capacity for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and dyestuffs in several nations, particularly in Japan, has grown chiefly because of the development of explosives made from the same starting materials—coal products. In the warring countries scientific quests have continued to uncover substitutes, es­ pecially plastics, for many scarce or un­ available substances of utility. In plastics industrial research offers a realm sunlit and infinitely varied, and dur­ ing the year the progress has been like a pageant. Nylon attained full-scale pro­ duction in the United States and aroused world-wide interest; I. G. Perluran, the newest synthetic fiber in Germany, and also a new Japanese fiber are similar to nylon. I n this country calendered Vinylite sheets and Saran polyvinylidene plastics were developed, and melamine resins (Melamac) were produced for coating and laminating purposes. Activity in the use of plastics in aviation did not wane. A number of American companies have completed experimental plywood air­ planes or have them under construction. It is said 200 different parts of British air­ craft are made from cellulose acetate. Aerodynamically smooth surfaces on planes are accomplished in Great Britain

by covering rivets with foil coated with synthetic resin adhesive. But n o aerial viewpoint is scopeful enough to bring into a little sketch the manifold utility of plas­ tics. There are 86 plastic parts i n a 1941 automobile. The production value of plastics in Germany has grown t o about 300 million marks a year. Superbly per­ formed in American work was t h e funda­ mental success in butadiene rubber tech­ nology. Research here has transcended European accomplishments in elastomer investigation b y revealing the national prospects of industrial rubber syntheses of several types.

United States The National Defense Research Com­ mittee, established by the Council of Na­ tional Defense to correlate and support scientific research on devices of warfare, contacted major universities and indus­ trial laboratories to which problems could be assigned. The National Inventors Council invited contributions which might be useful in aiding the defense program. Suggestions and ideas are being received by that organization at the rate of 125 a day. The National Association of Manu­ facturers as a part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the American patent system honored 590 inventors (176 members of the chemical profession). According to the Ν. Α. Μ., the medial ex­ penditure for scientific research i s 2 per cent of the normal annual gross sales in­ come of 178 companies. Research and development expense of six large glass manufacturers averages 0.78 per cent of total net sales. It has been urged that American companies as a whole spend 2 per cent of their gross incomes for re­

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search and thus create a $1,000,000,000 fund to provide new jobs, industries, and goods. The total expenditure for all basic production research in the United States in 1940 was considerably less than a fourth of this sum, probably $220,000,000. Ten firms which spend more than 10 per cent of their gross incomes for research include four chemical concerns. Many com­ panies are full of the goodness of scientific investigation. The success of nickel was brought about by the investment of $20,000,000 in research. Twenty-four per cent of Armstrong Cork's sales are from new products developed within the past seven years; Johns-Mansville's novel or im­ proved products within the past decade are responsible for 43 per cent of sales. The engineering colleges in the "landgrant" group had available during the year 1939-40 a total of $1,802,263 for re­ search. Seventy-three research projects involving an aggregate of $3,111,374 have been carried out by The Engineering Foundation since 1914. Awards for 26 fellowships to 20 universities were an­ nounced by du Pont. The Association of Consulting Chemists and Chemical Engi­ neers questioned 94 educational institu­ tions regarding their industrial research, and of the 76 that responded 84 per cent indicated ways in which this work is con­ ducted. A dozen banks in different manu­ facturing centers are offering free research advisory service to encourage industry. The United States Department of Com­ merce is planning a business study dealing partly with production economics and marketing. When we think of chemical industry we naturally include the many manufac­ turers of specialized equipment. Nu­ merous new and improved appliances have come from their research and de­ velopment during 1940. A process for

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2 separating the constituents of gaseous mixtures by diffusion utilizes principles employed in vapor diffusion pumps. There have been a number of ad­ vances in filtering operations and in electrical equipment, turbogenerators, air compres­ sors, pumps, regulators, and valves. Automatic control technology has been progress­ ing rapidly. During the past few years the development of photoelectric cells has been among the major activities of electrical research laboratories. Increased voltage ratings were given to inert-gas-filled thy­ ratron and phanotron tubes by the use of xenon instead of argon. The Bell Telephone Laboratories expended $21,000,000 for research in 1940. It is predicted that enemy airplanes will be detected by sensitive instruments which will recognize infrared rays as given off by the engines. A new kind of remote-acting ther­ mometer has been devised for measuring the temperatures of distant objects. Fluorescent buoys were tested as markers for alighting seaplanes. X-ray units for inspection on a pro­ duction basis were improved. For research on television to date about $30,000,000 has been spent, of which RCA-NBC has expended $12,000,000. Approximately 3200 television receivers are in use in Metro­ politan N e w York. Applica­ tions of supersonics to precipi­ tation of smoke and the like are still in the laboratory stage.

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A mechanism of the Westinghouse Research Laboratories for photographing an electric arc in a fluid. As the fluid is forced up through a cylinder, a n arc is drawn in it and photography reveals the action of the gas bubbles formed.

rooms. Methods of control­ ling silicosis and hazards from gases in metal mines were con­ sidered further. The Ameri­ can Foundrymen's Association published recommended safety practices for the protection of its workers. Annually 1 per cent of the workmen in the basic industries suffer from dermatitis, at a cost of $200 per case. Occupational leucoderma was studied. Koroseal, Pliofilm, and Vinylite fabrics were shown to be suitable for protection against occupational s k i n i r r i t a n t s . Fairprene neoprene-coated fabrics and Synthal synthetic rubber are also used in protective garments for industrial purposes. The U. S. Public Health Service studied lead and manganese poisoning. Work was con­ tinued on the control of health hazards in the manufacture and use of Ledloy (leaded steel). Arsine poisoning in the cyanide extraction of gold, chronic selenosis, and carbon disulfide poisoning were investigated. The hygienic aspects of fluorine, methyl bromide, and triethanolamine were reported. Out of 286 electric and gas welders only 34 offered any physical complaint, not one of which was of a disabling degree. Research Gains in Mineral Technology

Guarding the Health of Workmen A nation-wide study was started by the Air Hygiene Foundation in attempting to reduce the estimated $900,000,000 a year lost to industry by workers absent because of illness. The speed-up of pro­ duction increases the hazards which result in many types of accidents and maladies. Safety codes for the prevention of dust explosions were issued by the American Standards Association. The U. S. Bureau of Mines studied explosion hazards in storage-battery

Vol. 19, No. 1

T h e Westinghouse klystron is a newly developed tube which transmits power through space. The emanated energy can be focused like a light beam, and engineers believe the klys­ tron is a forerunner of devices which may some day make it possible to light homes with power picked from the air.

In the du Pont nonexplosive coal-mining process a tube placed in a hole drilled in a vein expands when oil under high pressure is pumped into it. Cardox is a procedure of dis­ lodging coal at the working base by expanding carbon dioxide. The U. S. Bureau of Mines reported on the proper­ ties of suspension mediums for float-and-sink concentration and investigated flocculation as an aid in the clarification of coal-washery water. The du Pont fine coal cleaner is in­ tended for anthracite in small sizes. The uses of anthracite ash in building materials, in the production of mineral wool*, and in agriculture were described. Stoker fuel, coke, and briquets from Illinois coal are promised in large quantity. The dustless

The AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY assumes no responsibility f o r the statements and opinions advanced by contributors to its publications. Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Publication Office, 20th & Northampton Sts., Easton, Penna. Editorial Office, Room 706, Mills Building, Washington, D. C ; Telephone, National 0848; Cable, Jiechem (Washington). Advertising Department, 332 West 42nd St., New York, Ν. Υ.; Telephone, Bryant 9-4430. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office a t Easton, Penna., under the act of March 3 , 1879, as 24 times a year on the 10th and 25th. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3 , 1917, authorized July 13, 1918. Annual subscription rate, $2.00. Foreign postage to countries not i n the P a n American Union, $0.60; Canadian postage, $0.20. Single copies, $0.15. Special rates to members. N o claims can be allowed for copies of journals lost in the mails unless such claims are received within 60 days of the date of issue, and no claims will be allowed for issues lost as a result of insufficient notice of change of address. (Ten days' advance notice required.) "Missing from files" cannot be accepted as the reason for honoring a claim. Charles L. Parsons, Business Manager, Mills Building, Washington. D . C , U . S. A.

January 10, 1941

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treatment of coals is is a stronger bottle glass being studied in several produced by automatic places. Strides were control. Figured wire made in equipment to g l a s s is m a d e w i t h burn lignite with econ­ chromium-plated wire. omy. Heating systems The American Society of for low-cost houses have Heating and Ventilating been getting develop­ Engineers is studying mental attention. Con­ the transmission of tinuous coal distillation solar heat through glass similar to petroleumblocks. Libbey-Owensrefining practice was out­ Ford exhibited a new lined. The Bureau of thin glass brick, ThermoMines reported on the phane, which has in­ hydrogenation of lowdented edges filled with rank coals from the a lead-tin alloy. Alu­ West. Bituminous Coal minum extruded shapes Research, Inc., an­ are combined with glass nounced a $200,000 in­ blocks to form interior vestigational program. partitions. Hollow Over 70 different nonglass bricks containing a The double refraction of sodium nitrate crystals is displayed by the dual metallic minerals are gas that becomes lumi­ image of the words "National Bureau of Standards". These crystals are being produced com­ even more doubly refracting than Iceland spar. Synthetic lithium fluo­ nous when an electric ride crystals can replace fluorite in optics. mercially, but 15 in­ current passes through dustrial minerals must them are another innova­ be imported. Many tion. Electrically heated minerals are either wholly or partly these kaolins. California pottery manu­ diving suits insulated with glass fiber are unemployed: Titaniferous magnetites are facturers are using local china clay. in use by the U. S. Navy. The auto­ not being utilized; zirconium, lithium, and Papers appeared on the properties of mobile industry was urged to eliminate strontium deposits are large enough to kaolinite as a function of its particle size, night-driving glare by introducing polar­ justify searches for more uses; feldspar on the use of aluminum in the ceramic ized headlights; Polaroid disks are used would become much cheaper if suitable industry, and on the refractory proper­ as Fade-O-Scopes on movie cameras. methods of beneficiation were known. ties of topaz. Elkonite is a colloidal clay. Lenses for movie cameras and projectors Alaskite is being studied for utilization. Investigational work on zinc-vapor glazing have had their light transmission raised Investigational work was conducted on of clays was continued. Nephelite syenite by fluoride and by fluoride and silica coat­ the purification of diatomite by froth is a substitute for potassium feldspar. ings. flotation. Mikolite is expanded vermicuAplite rock has possible uses in ceramics. Optical properties of glasses can in fact lite, an extender for paint and a lubri­ Fused mullite refractories promise t o be be modified to meet a growing number of cant. A satisfactory substitute for mica used more extensively in arc furnaces. requirements. Bausch & Lomb reported is needed, and Alsifilm is being tried in Pinite products were investigated. At valuable increases in the light transmission lieu of mica splittings. A flotation process the Ohio State University the develop­ of optical systems produced by suitable was perfected for separating spodumene ment of superduty refractories from Ohio, chemical treatment, such as with 1 per from quartz. Synthetic kieserite was Pennsylvania, and Kentucky fire clays was cent nitric acid solution, to form low re­ made from olivine. Magnesol is a syn­ investigated. Mascofrax is a refractory fractive index surface films; by following thetic magnesium silicate for oil refining. blend of alumina cement, expanded verthis process with a baking operation the The Bureau of Mines investigated the miculite, raw magnesium silicate, and re­ glass surface is made much more durable. beneficiation of boron minerals and the fractory bond. The development of mix­ As to invisible films on glass to reduce differential grinding of Alabama iron ores tures of vermiculite with fire clay and benlight lost by reflections from optical parts, for gravity concentration. A procedure of tonite for special refractories has con­ evaporated films of magnesium fluoride exploring for metal-bearing ores is based tinued. The employment of pyrophyllite can be hardened by heat treatment, and on the observation that plants growing in ceramic bodies has increased; other the effective hardness can be further in­ over an ore body contain more of the uses are as a refractory known as Pyrocreased by the application of oil or soap as metal in their tissues than plants from plastic and as a paint filler. Beryllium a lubricant and waterproofer. The nonother places. Westinghouse announced oxide refractories were given attention. reflecting surfaced glass of Μ. Ι. Τ. is an electrostatic process to separate an The effect of molten aluminum on refrac­ being commercialized. Lustra cover glass appreciable percentage of iron in discarded tories was studied. Ultrahigh frequency is for use in microscopy. Corning Vycor ore. The concentratability of domestic energy has been found to be of probable laboratory ware, which is 96 per cent silica manganese ores was studied, and Cuban value in the drying of complicated ceramic glass, is practically shockproof thermally. manganese ore was made commercially shapes. Pyrex highway reflecting markers have workable by a special flotation process. Rearmament comes in contact with been pronounced successful by New York Governmental agencies are aiding in pros­ glass production in many ways; for ex­ State engineers. For the first time glass pecting for possible source of tin ore. ample, accelerated factory operation leads Christmas tree ornaments were made suc­ to an increased consumption of electric cessfully by machine at low cost by Corn­ light bulbs. Industry has been awakening ing. to the need for protective night lighting Investigations were conducted on wetNew Clay, Glass, and Cement of plants and grounds. Fluorescent light­ process leadless cast-iron enamels and on Products ing was made possible in Pullman berths, the relation of defects in enamel coatings t o American clays have displaced imported cabins of airliners, bed lamps, and over hydrogen in steel. Some work has indi­ clays for many uses. North Carolina kao­ mirrors and portraits. Research on the cated the possibility of applying enamel lins are similar to English china clays in use of phosphates in glass is in progress at compositions to iron by means of electrodeflocculating and casting properties; the the Pennsylvania State College. In the phoresis; electrolytic enameling has been Bureau of Mines has performed extensive glass-container industry the trend is under investigation at the University of work in producing sanitary ware from toward lighter weight bottles. Duraglass Illinois. Vinsol resin is said to increase

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Vol. 19, No. 1

p l a s t i c i t y and Reaction solderbulking value of ing is similar to masonry cement brazing, but the mortars 10 to 15 powder used reper cent. Progacts at a low temress was made in perature with the the introduction metals it joins. of cement-clinker Acetamide and coolers. There ethylene diamine has been a trend hydrochloride are toward increased being employed as fineness of portsoldering fluxes, land c e m e n t , and other organic partly because of chemicals (e. g., lower costs Tergitol) have through the use come into use for of grinding aids, increasing the and research was wetting power of published on colfluxes. Research loidal carbon for was performed on this p u r p o s e . the metallurgical The Bureau of aspects of hydroMines reported on gen in electroplatthe effects of acid ing. Electrodepomine waters on sition of alloys is various cements. no longer considPortland cements New Bausch & Lomb process clarifies the outlook in optics—demonstration of antiered a laboratory reflection films on glass plates. Light beam on the right goes through six glass of quality are becuriosity. plates with an evaporated film on each surface. Beam on the left passes through ing produced by six plates of the same glass untreated. Improvement in light transmission by film the flotation of The Ferrous treatment is seen on rear screen by increased brightness and freedom from flare of raw m a t e r i a l s image on right. Light lost by reflection from the plates is shown on front screen. Field previously conHydrogen residered useless. duction of ore to Further tests by the Bureau of Mines produce powdered iron is under developImprovements in Metallurgy suggest that waste slate is suitable ment in California; the hydrogen is derived for making lightweight aggregate. ConTwenty papers were presented at the from natural gas. Plastiron, a pure iron crete made with sawdust has been found Powder Metallurgy Conference held at powder, was announced. The reduction of useful in agricultural applications. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, iron ores under pressure by carbon monoxNational Sand and Gravel Association Reand several new laboratories for powdered ide and the desulfurization of pig iron with search Foundation has as current investimetals research were established. The calcium carbide were investigated. gations adhesion of bitumen to aggreNational Bureau of Standards studied the Foundry sand and binders are being gates, physical characteristics of aggrecorrosion of metals used in aircraft. The studied fundamentally; uniform grades of gates, and mortar-making properties of casting of rods and tubes from molten molding sand are needed. The Gray Iron different fine aggregates. Craxement is a metal is now performed continuously; Research Institute is conducting a procement including powdered iron; Glatex wire is made by a process of slitting sheets gram of foundry investigation. SMZ, is an asbestos-cement siding shingle with instead of drawing metal through dies. composed of silicon, manganese, and zira mineral glaze baked into the surface; The metallurgical phases of flame hardconium, is for ladle addition to cast iron. Panelbestos is a building board made of ening and the mechanism of the electroA new lining for cast-iron pipe consists of compressed layers of asbestos and cement. lytic polishing of metals were described. tar held in place by a coked framework.

Highway lighting without electricity:

new reflex light units of Corning Glass Works in operation

ArMa (arrested about 20 per cent malleabilized) steel of the alloy steel was developed production. The further. The subPluramelt process ject of slag control utilizes a special in open-hearth work type of electric arc was c o n s i d e r e d furnace to yield thoroughly. Resingle ingots of two s e a r c h w a s conor more composiducted on the fortions, i n t e g r a l l y mation of inclusions bonded together. in steel castings. Types of ferritic Flame-cutting of copper steels have armor plate, several been perfected. pieces at a time, was M a n g a n a l is a shown by makers of nonmagnetic alloy gas-welding equipsteel containing 11 ment. Electric to 13.5 per cent welding was feamanganese and 3.5 tured in the assemper cent nickel Vibly of aluminum calloy is a magnetic and stainless steel New plant of the Aluminum Ore Co. at Mobile, Ala. alloy composed of aircraft parts. The output of informavanadium, cobalt, and iron. Difficulties tion on all aspects of welding has conin producing leaded steels have been tinued. It has been estimated, however, rapidly overcome. A new lead-steel alloy that not more than a quarter of the pos(1 part of lead to 500 parts of steel) was sibilities of welding have been fully exreported to be as strong as leadless steel, plored. A program of welding research but machinable 30 to 50 per cent faster was carried out by the Engineering Founfor mass-production parts. Uraniumdation—weldability of steels, weld stresses, nickel steels, which are being developed, structural welding, and progressive failappear to be quite corrosion resistant. ure in steels under repeated stresses were Grainal is a group of alloys, very small emphasized. The atomic hydrogen weldamounts of which, added in the final ing process is used for steel sheet coils. stages of steel making, yield products of Drycolene is a protective atmosphere exceptional uniformity and toughness. gas for heat-treating steels without The significance of hardenability is coming decarburization. Satisfactory results are into importance in selecting automotive said to have followed wherever cathodic steels. The use of steels in aircraft is incorrosion control has been properly increasing, and the employment of stainstalled on steel water tanks. Quachrom less and high-tensile low-alloy steels in glucosate is an organic chromium inhibirailroad and other construction has also tor. Jetalizing applies a black corbeen growing. Silver-bearing 18-8 stainrosion- and rust-resistant finish to steel. less steel is much more resistant to chloTexsteel furniture has resilient woven steel ride solutions than the original alloy. The upholstery. Kolorpin is a nail finished pitting of stainless steels was studied. in color t o match colored wallboard. Additions of small percentages of sulfur Meehanite is composed of a pearlite maor selenium better the machining propertrix and finely divided graphite flakes. ties of stainless steel; titanium improves Although electric furnaces are making chromium-molybdenum steel for airplane only about 2 per cent of the total steel tubing; columbium enhances the creep output of the country, they are turning out strength of 4 to 6 per cent chromium steels. A shawl of aluminum mesh

Metal-producing works of the Aluminum Co. of America at Vancouver, Wash.

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6 T h e use of glycerol-phosphoric acid mix­ tures for electrolytically polishing 18-8 stainless steel was described. Lustracast is an electrolytic process that gives stain­ less steel castings a finish comparable with that obtained on plain surfaces by polish­ ing mechanically. Coloron and Bachite processes are for coloring stainless steel. A flexible laminated sheet has been de­ veloped to present a stainless steel surface on an impregnated-fabric backing. For every ton of steel produced, the steel in­ dustry uses about 30 pounds of nonferrous metals as ingredients or for coat­ ing finished products. The 1000 brands of tool steel on the market are in need of classification by types and applications. The Domain of Ν onferrous Metals The use of polonium in standard elec­ trode alloys was found by Firestone to improve the starting performance of spark plugs. Tellurium is employed in a new electric lamp. The presence of 0.5 per cent tellurium is said to double the life of lead in sulfuric acid plant con­ struction. Two free-machining forgeable alloys of copper containing tellurium were announced. The powder metallurgy of copper has been investigated quite broadly. The coalescence process for producing semifabricated oxygen-free cop­ per was reported, and a type of dustless and sliverless surfaced copper (PDCP) was perfected. Lektromesh is a per­ forated metal screen produced by electrodeposition, made in copper or nickelplated copper. Copper-silicon alloys were successfully substituted for tin bronzes. An alloy of manganese and copper seems to have possibilities as a material for sound mufflers, quiet gears, and vibrationabsorbing machinery. The inclusion of a small percentage of cobalt in berylliumcopper alloy gives more uniform physical properties. Oilite is made of a porous structure of bronze impregnated with oil. The Bureau of Mines investigated air used in lead blast furnaces. Asarco lead contains copper and bismuth. By adding 0.1 per cent of arsenic to solder, quicker and better "wiped joints" are being had on telephone cables; calcium may replace antimony in strengthening the lead sheath­ ing on aerial telephone cables. A pro­ cedure was published for the electrolytic removal of copper from zinc alloys. Kirksite is a zinc-base material for dies used in the aircraft industry. B y an electrolytic process both plating with indium and its production in commercial quantities are possible; indium alloys are gaining use in airplane bearings and dental alloys. American Metal and Phelps Dodge set up pilot plants for tin refining; it is expected electrorefining of tin will attract more attention in the fu­ ture. Bolivian ore will be the source of 18,000 tons of tin per annum for the next five years. There has been an increase in the use of silver for electrical contacts and for imparting corrosion resistance to

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containers and equipment for the chemical and food industries. The research proj­ ect of American Silver Producers was moved from the National Bureau of Stand­ ards to Bridgeport, Conn., to assist in the commercialization of uses of silver ex­ plored so far. Lead-silver and tin-silver alloys continue to be of interest; silvermagnesium alloys are under commercial trial. Platinum-clad nickel is now avail­ able. Ruthenium is reported to be twice as effective as iridium in hardening plati­ num. Rhodium plates are used as light reflectors. Aluminum Ore increased by 50 per cent its production of alumina. By the middle of 1942 production of aluminum ingots will have expanded to 250 per cent of the 1939 level. A method of making uniform translucent films of alumina from aluminum foil was described. Chemodizing is a nonelectrolytic method of producing corrosion-resistant, integrally fused surfaces on aluminum and its al­ loys; Metcolizing heat-corrosion pro­ tection is secured by a thin coating of aluminum. The use of lanthanum for hardening aluminum and magnesium al­ loys was suggested. Advances were made in the knowledge of beryllium-aluminum and beryllium-magnesium alloys. Mag­ nesium production was 13,000,000 pounds in 1940 and will be doubled by the spring of 1942. A new process consists of the direct reduction of calcined magnesite with carbon, followed by a purification of the crude metal powder in a separate fur­ nace by distillation. A magnesium alloy containing 3 per cent aluminum and 1 per cent zinc was found to be most suit­ able for photoengraving. Nickel re­ covery has been studied by the Bureau of Mines. There were introduced nickel and chromium bonded to zinc, coldrolled steel, aluminum, brass, and coldrolled copper bases. Kromirror is a steel mirror with a nickel-chromium reflecting surface. A company is producing nickel and cobalt alloy powders. Small pilot tests o n electric-furnace smelting of domestic chrome ores indicated that us­ able alloys can be produced. Porous chromium deposits holding lubricating oil have been put on Diesel engine pistons and cylinders. Electro Manganese announced the capacity of its Knoxville plant would be doubled, and an electrolytic manganese plant is projected at Hoodsport, Wash. Six new manganese alloys were reported and a manganese powder was introduced. The suitability of compressed powdered molybdenum Permalloy for inductance coils was claimed. Chemical Technology Enriched by Novel Methods and Materials The Bureau of Mines described fireretardant treatments of liquid-oxygen explosives. Facilities were installed to recover bromine from products resulting from the evaporation of Searles Lake brine. New processes were introduced for the

Vol. 19, No. 1 stabilization of iodine in iodized carriers. Ammonium thiocyanate is being pro­ duced a t Everett, Mass., and potassiumsodium ferricyanide was marketed as Redsol Crystals. Improvements were made i n materials of construction in the salt industry. A new process was de­ scribed for the regeneration of sulfitebisulfite solutions used for absorbing sul­ fur dioxide from waste gases. A plant was built for the production of anhydrous sodium sulfate at Dale Lake, Calif. The properties and reactions of sodium chlorite were published. A molten mix­ ture of salts (HTS) consisting of sodium nitrite and sodium and potassium nitrates is a heating and cooling liquid for indus­ trial processes requiring high tempera­ tures, where direct heating with an open flame is either dangerous or im­ practicable. A new method was pro­ posed for applying sodium metaphosphate in laundry washroom practice. The di­ rect production of phosphoric acid from phosphorus was begun in Los Angeles. Work indicates that sodium chromate and dichromate can be made economically from domestic chromite ores. Five plants now manufacture potassium hydroxide, and t h e production of potassium chlorate, cyanide, and permanganate has been given commercial attention. The Bureau of Mines reported on an electrolytic method for t h e production of calcium boride. Silimite is an activated lime containing magnesia for removing silica in hot-proc­ ess water softeners. Remosil and Mag-deSil, specially prepared magnesias, and also aluminum hydroxide are likewise used for silica removal from water. Aluminum bromide has been found to be easier t o prepare for use as a catalyst than alumi­ num chloride. Copper benzoate was made available. The net cost of research in the field of synthetic organic chemicals was about 3.5 per cent of sales. Research has con­ tinued on the substitutive chlorination of olefins, chlorinations with sulfuryl chlo­ ride, peroxide-catalyzed chlorinations, chlorinations in intimate contact with a liquid mass of metal chlorides, preparation of polychloropropanes, chlorination of aromatic compounds, chlorinolysis of paraffin hydrocarbons, and high-pressure chlorination. In an attempt t o clarify the mechanisms of high-temperature chlorination of hydrocarbons, a study was made by dynamic methods of the kinetics of t h e reactions involved. Ethyl tetrachlorobenzene and ethyl pentachlorobenzene mixtures have been proposed a s heat-transfer fluids, lubricants, and d i ­ electrics. The commercial availability of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride has created interest as a reaction agent for polymeri­ zation, alkylation, acylation, and fluorination of organics. Fluorinated refriger­ ants continue important, and data were published for the use of three fluorochloromethanes and trifluorotrichloroethane. Nitromethane, nitroethane, 1nitropropane, and 2-nitropropane are

January 10, 1941

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being manufactured commercially, and ment of fats and oils, especially through duced only in the Orient and for raising later on nitroparaffins with longer carbon alkylation and acylation, were investigated. the drug content of plants. Chemical and chains will be available. A new synthesis It was indicated that unlimited quantities biological research will contribute much t o of dinitroparaffins was described. Nitroof glycerol could be made from cracked the U. S. Pharmacopoeia X I I , inasmuch as methane and similar compounds m a y gasoline. Many chemicals are plenti­ about 10 per cent of the drugs will be new facilitate the production of chloropicrin. fully available from cracking-plant by­ admissions comprising almost exclusively Propionic, butyric, and isobutyric acid products. synthetic medicaments, hormones, vita­ esters of the monohydroxynitro alcohols A group of refined high-boiling coal-tar mins, and serums. In advocating a cowere prepared. In a process for produc­ solvents, known as the Cosols, were operative scientific approach for the ing absolute alcohol, ethyl ether is added marketed. Notol is a toluene replacer. cosmetic industry, a U. S. Cosmeticopoeia, to the alcohol-water mixture, which is dis­ The Raschig process of phenol manufac­ a n official book of standards, has been tilled in the conventional manner. Ex­ ture is in application in North Tonaemphasized as a sound goal. panded facilities for the production of wanda, N. Y. Butyl-cresol compounds acetone by both fermentation and synthe­ are being made industrially. Phthalic A Fruitful Year in Agricultural sis have kept pace with the demand. anhydride is expected to expand further in Technology Thiodiglycol was synthesized from ethyl­ use; the recent commercial production of ene oxide and hydrogen sulfide. the Monastral blues is an illustration of Chemistry ranks high in the hierarchy Carbide & Carbon began large-scale its utility. Potential supplies of toluene of husbandry. The four regional labora­ production of maleic anhydride. Reac­ used in the manufacture of T N T are tories of the U. S. Department of tions of maleic anhydride with rosin were considered adequate for all anticipated Agriculture were made ready for occu­ studied from the lacquer viewpoint; the national requirements. Pyridine produc­ pancy. Approximately 95 per cent of the copolymerization of maleic polyesters was tion was increased. Cetyl pyridinium expenditure on agricultural research has described. Lactic acid esters are expected chloride is a new germicide. A new been used t o increase production; only to provide new markets for by-product chemical industry could be erected on about 5 per cent of this money has been milk. Over 80 recently commercialized further research on cyclanes (naphspent to discover new uses for agricultural esters of polyhydric alcohols and their thenes). The separation of steroid com­ products. Crop by-products classified as ethers were reported. Normal octanol pounds from natural oils by molecular dis­ agricultural wastes are said t o amount to and normal decanol are available in quan­ tillation with saponification and crystal­ over 84 million tons annually. The tity for use as antifoaming agents and as lization was studied further; the steroid Bureau of Mines made field experiments solvents; Diafoam is a special grade of steradiene tetracarboxylic acid was syn­ on darkening light-colored soils with coalsecondary octanol. Hydrazine hydrate, thesized. A method for producing phosmine waste. Glass wool was proposed indole, allyl amine, and allyl bromide are phatide-free sterol concentrate from soy­ for use in preventing soil erosion and in being produced commercially. Ocenol bean oil was described. Intermediary accelerating the growth of plants. A K D is a purified oleyl alcohol. The manu­ chemicals required for synthetic anti­ new sterilization method for greenhouse facture of adipic acid was started by du malarials are available. Acridine, for ex­ soils consists of the passage up through Pont. The commercial production of ample, is being made by Reilly Tar & the bed of a n admixture of formaldehyde guanidine salts was markedly improved. Chemical. Sulfathiazole, sulfadiazine. and with steam. The utility of dichloroethyl Aryi-substituted thioureas are said to be sulfaguanidine are new members of the ether as a soil fumigant began t o be superior to alkyl-substituted thioureas sulfanilamide family. Drug manufac­ recognized. Gramicidin is a bactericide in stabilizing soaps. Levulinic acid was turers are reported to be studying hydro­ isolated from soil. Potassium metaphosmade in quantity. Emulgor-A is a conponics for growing drug plants now pro­ phate was described as a potential highdensed glycol analysis fertilizer e s t e r of h i g h material Four molecular - weight companies have fatty acids, a new entered the field of emulsifying agent. potassium salt A new group of p r o d u c t i o n and nonvolatile, three of them are w a t e r-s ο 1 u b 1 e making about 98 c o m p o u n d s is per cent of the offered under the American output. designation CarA program to bowax by Car­ assist the produc­ bide & Carbon; tion and sale of up they are recom­ to 6 , 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 mended for the pounds of insulapaper and textile tion material industries and as made from meta1-working American cotton, aids. Announce­ linters, and spinment was made of nable waste was the replacement announced by the of s u b s t a n t i a l U. S. Depart­ parts of the carment of Agricul­ n a u b a wax in ture. S u l f u r i c "water waxes" acid is being used with other matefor delinting cotrials having an tonseed Work open market. The on the composi­ possibilities of tion of cotton­ preparing useful T H E KOPPERS CO. seed was con­ products by the The new light oil plant of the Bethlehem Steel Co. at Sparrows Point, M d . This tinued. Research chemical treat­ plant, which will produce more than 25,000 gallons of light oil a day, is repre­ sentative of the largest-scale fine-cutting distillation units in this country. on c o t t o n s e e d

NEWS

8 pressure cooking a t the University of Tennessee was described; the cottonseed pressure cooker developed by the TVA is in commercial use. The Beckman process for extracting oil from cottonseed and other agricultural products utilizes bacteria derived from brewers' malt, freeing the oil for extraction and leaving a residue for conversion into animal feed. Better extraction of cottonseed oil is one of the problems that will be attacked by the Southern Regional Research Laboratory. Means are being sought t o produce furfural from cottonseed hulls and to use the residual lignin for the production of a plastic. Glues for plywood from cotton and soybean proteins are being developed. The land planted to soybeans was increased about 18 per cent over 1939. A peanut-hull insulation material was made experimentally. Some 175,000 acres in states bordering on the Gulf of Mexico now carry plantations of the tung tree. Utility of oil, cellulose, and ricin from the castor plant is under development. Undecylenic acid from castor oil has been employed to form isobutyl undecylenamide, which, with a small amount of pyrethrum, is used in an oil fly spray. Research is changing haying and storage of ensilage. Tin in traces stimulates the growth of timothy and other plants. Favorable results were reported on the use of copper compounds for the control of vegetable diseases. Transparent "hotcaps" for the protection of tender young vegetable plants are made from cellulose acetate sheeting. Tatol is an antifreeze alcohol produced from cull potatoes. With the improvement in the quality of white potato starch made in three continuous process factories during the year, more can be expected i n further betterment of practice. Production for 1940 at the Laurel, Miss., sweet potato starch plant was 3,400,000 pounds; 1,000,000 pounds of pulp were turned out as a livestock feed. More than 98 per cent of all the starch produced, varying annually from 2 billion t o 3 billion pounds, is made from corn. The utilization of corn wastes and the disposal of final effluents were given additional development during the year. Marmin is a new wheat. Real opportunities exist for productive research on finding uses for.cereal proteins. Colchicine continued t o get much attention as an inductor of polyploidy in plants. Applied in the form of a solution containing as little as 1 part in 100,000,000 parts of water, vitamin B1 is reported to have displayed potentiality in horticulture. Parmone is a "liquid hormone spray" containing naphthalene acetic acid for use in delaying the dropping of fruit from trees until they are ready to harvest. Naphthalene acetic acid is said to prevent holly exfoliation. Prune pit oil was studied at the University of California. The National Farm Chemurgic Council issued a suggestive bulletin on "The Domestic Production of Essential Oils

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from Aromatic Plants". Quinine production is being studied a t the Federal agricultural experiment station in Puerto Rico. A laboratory for research on insecticides and fungicides was constructed b y du Pont. Synthetic cryolite for insecticidal purposes was made by Aluminum Ore. The possibility of another crop for American farmers and a supply of pyrethrum for insecticide manufacturers i s suggested by the development of a mechanical pyrethrum picker by the United States D e partment of Agriculture. A new pyrethrum chrysanthemum adapted to East Tennessee is said t o have twice the insecticidal strength of the Japanese variety. The Department of Agriculture is investigating the devil's shoestring as a possible source of rotenone. Sulfur for spray purposes with a fineness of about 0.005 inch is being produced by Dow. Certain tars from the low-temperature carbonization of coal possess fungicidal and insecticidal action. Vatsol OT, a sodium salt of an alkyl ester of sulfosuccinic acid, is employed as a spreader for insecticidal sprays. The use of methyl bromide in fumigation of quarantined products and in the control of rodents was further developed. The Department of Agriculture studied 135 treatments for the prevention of mildew, finding the cadmium chloride process one of the simplest. Sinox, sodium orthocresylate, ammonium sulfamate, and furfural are being used as herbicides.

N e w Processes and Products of the Food Industry Let us now catch the aroma of the gracious landscape of food research. Bactericidal irradiation was put t o wider use, and the characteristics of the Sterilamp were reported. Food dehydration is being studied broadly. A comprehensive investigational program on carbon dioxide storage of foodstuffs has been projected. N e w emergency rations have been developed in the Quartermaster Corps' subsistence laboratory i n Chicago. Cooked dried shreds of Idaho potatoes and canned edible green soybeans are on the market. In "self-heating" canned goods, when a false bottom is punctured, air combines with chemicals t o warm the contents. A pressure-pack process was introduced for coffee. Addition of calcium chloride to canned tomatoes was found t o increase firmness of the meat. Sodium hyposulfite was shown t o be a preservative of lettuce. More fruit juices, especially blends, are thought to have commercial possibilities. High-frequency electrical energy has been tried with success in the treatment of cider to retard spoilage. Frozen apple slices for pie bakers were developed at the Frozen Pack Laboratory in Seattle. An Ecuador plant is manufacturing banana flakes for shipment to the United States. Refined avocado oil

Vol. 19, No. 1 from Guatemala may partly replace olive oil. The flavor of olive is imparted to corn oil by a new process. A t present grapeseed oil is extracted only from raisin seeds; vintners have 80,000 tons of oilbearing seed that are unused. The papaya is being grown commercially in Florida, and food and drink products are being made from the pulp. The juice of milkweed has been found to contain a proteolytic enzyme as effective as papain in meat tenderization. Pineapple juice is used in tenderizing casings. "Plastic coconut" contains the emulsified whole meat and all the oil for use as a candy lubricant. Almond butter and meal are new California products. Twenty years of scientific work are behind the Jordanolo almond now being introduced in California. Ethylene has been found to speed up the curing of vanilla beans and to improve the extract therefrom. More than 75 varieties of sugar were displayed a t a U. S. Department of Commerce exhibit. The Department of Agriculture supplied evidence that sugar can be made from sorgo juice. By-product utilization in sugar manufacture continued to receive attention. A research on bone char adsorptivity is under way at the National Bureau of Standards. Sweetose is a product from corn claimed twice as sweet as corn sirup. Melojel is a cornstarch said to effect a stable "gel". Applemilk, a beverage, consists of skim milk and apple pulp. A dried milk and honey confection is produced, and it is thought the incorporation of apple into this candy has commercial possibilities. Confections are made from whey, one of the richest sources of lactoflavin. Daraloid is sodium alginate, used in stabilizing ice cream. Experiments indicated that urea can be used as a substitute for protein concentrates in milk cows in production. TVA developed a new quick-freezing process and an electric cabinet for aging ham after salt curing. There has been considerable activity in research on food antioxidation. Finely milled oat flour was found to bave an antioxidative action on milk; gum guaiac, less than 0.1 per cent, is claimed to extend the life of lard by at least three times without refrigeration; the antioxygenic action of quinols, quinones, tocopherols, hydroxychromans, hydroxycoumarans, and their derivatives has been studied with reference to the molecular configuration responsible for their stabilizing action on animal fats, and effective antioxidants were found in all these classes of compounds. The Armour "synthetic" casing consists of collagen. Cholesterol is being produced commercially from beef spinal cords. I n the menhaden industry modern methods are rapidly replacing the antiquated practice in use along the Atlantic Coast for many years. In canning the Atlantic blue crab a new method consists of stabilizing the copper in the hemocyanin of the flesh by a protective brine containing aluminum or zinc. The food values of

January 10, 1941

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9

seaweeds were studied. The Food and Drug Administration set up tentative regulations to cover vitamins from A to G. Vitamins have become a $100,000,000 business. A new method was described for isolating carotene from green leafy tissue. Alfalfa may be an important source of carotene as well as protein. The synthesis of pantothenic acid was an­ nounced. Quino-Thrombin possesses vita­ min Κ activity. Grass continued to advance as a health food. Cerograss and Cerophyl, dehydrated cereal grasses, are getting notice, and Greenmelk is a mix­ ture of condensed buttermilk and pow­ dered dehydrated cereal grasses for feed makers. Vimin is the name urged for vitamin- and mineral-fortified flour pro­ posed by the milling industry. Phytates are being used to fortify bakery products.

Petroleum Problems Probed Productively A number of developments have been made in distillate recovery in the natural gas industry. Diethylene glycol is being used to reduce the water content of natural gas in conjunction with propane refrigera­ tion. Against the winter's peak demand, East Ohio will compress natural gas under 600-pound pressure, liquefy it by cooling at —250°, and pour it into insulated spherical tanks, in which there will be the liquid equivalent of 150,000,000 cubic feet com­ pressed to 0.06 its gaseous volume; heated by steam, the liquid will again vaporize and go through East Ohio's mains. Bottled gas is used in 800,000 homes; in­ dustrial consumption of liquefied gas is considerably higher. The growth of research effort in the petroleum industry has been rapid, having expanded 539 per cent in 11 years and having risen from seventh to second larg­ est. The Division of Petroleum Chemis­ try of the A. C. S. reported that the idea of a "Hydrocarbon Bank" had been trans­ muted into action. The National Ad­ visory Committee for Aeronautics selected Cleveland as the site for the Govern­ ment's $8,400,000 airplane-engine research laboratory. Geochemical prospecting for underground oil was developed further. A novel method of drilling and pumping oil wells—pumping the oil so that it goes down instead of up through oil-bearing sands— was described. It was found that deter­ gent chemicals reduce the surface tension forces on water accompanying petroleum so that it is not pulled through the sands so easily by capillary attraction. In­ vestigations are being conducted by the Bureau of Mines to ascertain fundamental facts regarding bentonite in suspension and behavior of oil-well drilling muds. Sodium tetraphosphate was found useful for deflocculating drilling muds. A considerable part of the hydrogen sulfide removed from petroleum gases is burned and probably not over 22,000 tons of sul-

Semiplant unit of the Gulf Research & Development Co. for studying catalytic isomerization of normal butane to isobutane in aviation gasoline output fur equivalent are at present available to sulfuric acid plants. In 1940 about 26,000,000,000 gallons of gasoline were produced, and if the demand occurs the output could be increased to over 40 billion gallons in a short while. The tendency in motor fuels is toward the production of single hydro­ carbons or a group of three or four in order that the combustion in automotive en­ gines may be precisely controlled. Octane rating motor fuels of 100 and over are produced for aviation use, and these products may be utilized in pleasure cars within five years. There is a growing need for standard specifications for highspeed Diesel fuels. In aircraft work a fuel system is wanted which will com­ pensate for the drop in pressure at high altitudes. Research indicates that in pure hydrocarbon fuels the longer the straightchain part of the molecule, the less the anti­ knock tendency of the compound. Sulfur compounds decrease octane numbers as well as lead susceptibility. Hydrocarbons whose octane ratings are at least 125 are often thought of as the ultimate in motor fuel possibilities. It has been contended, however, that the only value of the octane number is for control and investigational purposes—that gasoline quality should

be measured by practical performance rather than laboratory tests. It has been indicated that for a 30 per cent spread between crude and fuel oil price hydro­ genation in competition with thermal cracking for the production of motor fuel will show a 20 per cent return on the added investment for hydrogenation. Aqueous caustic solutions containing cer­ tain organic compounds ("solutizers") are claimed to be superior to straight caustic solutions for the removal of mercaptans from gasolines. The new Polyform proc­ ess combining polymerization with crack­ ing was disclosed by Gulf. A plant for making neohexane was put in operation; Houdry re-formation of hydrocarbons is in production at Trenton. The work on the chemical constitution of petroleum being conducted at the National Bureau of Standards was ex­ tended to the kerosene fraction in 1938, published during 1940. Detergents from kerosene were studied. Motorists used to drain and refill crankcases every 500 miles in 1925, 1000 miles in 1930, and for 1940 the figure is probably 2000. The propane precipitation of petroleum resins is used commercially to reduce the duty of clay in decolorizing lubricating oil stocks. At least 10 petroleum refineries

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are using bauxite for bleaching paraffinic oils. Florite, Porocel, and X-Yte are activated bauxites. The Thermofor kiln was developed by Socony-Vacuum for the regeneration of decolorizing clay. Naphthenic acids extracted from lubricating oil fractions became commercially available. The improvement of lubricating oils by blending was explained b y the presence of certain large molecules formed by partial oxidation; the more "spreadable" an oil, the better its lubricity. In 1938 and 1939, 200 lubricant additive patents were issued; additives are classified broadly as refining adjuncts and refining supplements: pour-point depressants and viscosity-index improvers are in the first class, while refining supplements embrace corrosion preventives such as organic phosphorus compounds and sulfur derivatives. Desired characteristics of Diesel engine lubricating oil are being secured by compounding. CB cable production involves the use o f carbon black in insulating oils. Gulf technologists have developed a new type of slushing compound which protects finished surfaces of metals from corrosion. There are 560 grease producers and 75 per cent of the output of the country (750,000,000 pounds) is sold according to standard specifications. Tin naphthenate has been used in compounding oils. Vistanex is employed in compounding and in various modifications of paraffin wax, such as Parofilm. The quality of asphaltic road materials received research at the University o f New Mexico. Experimental work on asphalt ballast under railroad tracks opens a new field of use for asphalt. Carey Elastite asphalt tile for floors contains asbestos reinforcement; Chromalin is a floor covering composed of a mastic surface bonded to

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asphalt-saturated felt; Kobalt is the name of an asphalt-base material for resurfacing floors; Tred-Lastic is a fiber-asphalt floor material. The ASQU process for the saturation of felt in asphalt and subsequent rolling to remove air is employed in manufacturing a roof material. A new roofing material (Alumi-Shield) combines the waterproofness of asphalt with the heat and light reflectivity of aluminum. Tall oil is used in making asphalt emulsions. Petroleum cresylic acids are said to afford active germicides. Some of the heterocyclic bases isolated from California straight-run or cracked crude represent starting materials in the synthesis of derivatives containing pharmacologically important groups.

Accomplishments in A p p l i e d Dendrochemistry Dow reported new hybrid poplars and progress in lowering costs of cellulose from such fast-growing wood. In California studies are being made regarding possibilities for the cultivation of cork trees. Development of new treatments for lumber is particularly important because much timber now cut is second growth, which may have a large proportion of sapwood, thus making it more susceptible to staining. Already, it is estimated, American mills treat about 4,000,000,000 feet of lumber annually. Research revealed that wetting agents have no practical value in increasing either the rate of absorption or the rate of swelling of wood in water under ordinary soaking conditions. Urea is being used as an aid in seasoning lumber; wood can be easily bent by treatment with urea. "Wood coke", derived from processing charcoal made from sawdust,

Vol. 19, No. 1 tree tops, and stumps, which the Pacific Northwest is said to have in the quantity of 50,000,000 tops a year, is being introduced as a substitute for coal coke. New prefabricated units for building low-cost wooden houses are being studied experimentally at the National Bureau of Standards. Sound conditioning was benefited by new techniques. The Bureau of Standards published the sound-absorption coefficients of the various acoustic materials obtainable on the American market. Felted wood fiber containing flakes of expanded vermiculite is converted into insulating board. Well known now is resin-bonded fir plywood, with or without a layer of fabric on the surface. I n pencil manufacturing a process was introduced for the deposition on leads of a surface coating to which glue adheres well, welding the lead and wood into a n inseparable unit. Lignin has been referred to as the "greatest economic waste i n the world today", and if ways can be found to h y drogenate lignin cheaply it may become the source of a whole new series of organic compounds. The U. S. Forest Products Laboratory reported on the hydrogenation of lignin in aqueous solutions and on the production of wood pulp and the simultaneous conversion of noncellulosic constituents of woods into alcohols, oils, and resins. Masonite announced its intention of making molded containers from lignin plastic (Benalite) ; the company also plans to obtain furfural, acetic and formic acids, and activated carbon from wood waste. Meadol is a lignin prepared b y precipitating spent soda black liquor with carbon dioxide. Marathon is producing lignin laminating sheets and has molding compositions at the semicommercial stage. The properties of butanol-lignin were described.

Noteworthy Paper Products

Experimental setup at the National Bureau of Standards for studying firedetecting and extinguishing equipment for aircraft engines with fires of known severity. The engine runs at cruising speeds in the air blast from the wind tunnel, simulating the plane's forward speed. Controlled amounts of gasoline or oil can b e released and ignited at various locations.

The average American uses about 250 pounds of paper a year. The domestic output of wood pulp reached a total of nearly 9,000,000 tons; there are approximately 850 pulp and paper mills. Newsprint was produced from southern yellow pine at Herty, Tex. T h e U. S. Forest Products Laboratory prepared newsprint by mixing unbleached semichemical pulp from southern gum trees with groundwood pulp from southern pine, and at Syracuse University newsprint was made from red pine. Velo cold-set ink and nickel ink were described. Isophorone is used in improved inks, stencil pastes, and roll-coating finishes. Research is in progress on the production of writing paper from low-grade cotton. Paper made from cotton burs and stalks is under test in Texas. Several southern paper mills have been considering castorbean pulp as a raw material. Swamp black gum sulfate pulps were made for bond papers. Improvements i n the per-

January 10, 1941

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textile fibers, making use of Stoddard solvent. The Cotton Textile Institute has spent $750,000 on promotional activities since 1929. Uses for cotton discussed by the National Cotton Council, which is supporting extensive investigation, included bale coverings, stabilizing road cuts and fills, protecting tree seedlings and beehives, bags for peanuts and fertilizers, and plastics. Cotton osnaburg is now employed in sand bags. The Bureau of Home Economics of the United States Department of Agriculture is working on methods of improving the appearance and wearing quality of cotton hosiery. There was developed a full-fashioned cotton stocking, knit on the same ma-

Vinyon bathing suit formance characteristics of filter-press paper and paper insulation have been accomplished. Heat-indicating paper is being developed to reveal temperatures in industrial operations. The production of cigaret paper from flax (6,000,000 pounds annually) is t o be doubled; such paper was made experimentally from apple-tree prunings. Teledeltos is an electrically conducting sheet for use as a dry recording paper. Palladium photographic printing papers are said to possess unusual permanence. Eastman Kodak developed special emulsions for the Associated Press and International News Photos. A new series of photo hardening coatings contain colloidal graphite. "Silver antitarnish" paper is made by impregnating with copper acetate. The development of laboratory filter paper is under way; American companies expect to be able to supply products equal to all grades of foreign papers. Eight firms now manufacture tall oil (liquid rosin) as a by-product of sulfate pulp. Advances were described in sizing. Aerosize 400, Alwax 251, and emulsions of Melamac and Beetle resins were introduced by American Cyanamid. The Aero-Hydro process of sizing, in use for making military maps, camouflage material, and "pup tents" in Germany, has aroused attention, especially for producing articles requiring weather resistance. Polyvinyl alcohol is employed in coating paper, in making glassine, and in adhesives. Uses for Methocel and soybean protein in papermaking were reported.

Disclosed Researches on Textiles The U. S. Institute for Textile Research published the results of a broad program of textile-drying investigation. The U. S. Department of Agriculture contributed a new process for sterilizing

Standards studied the chemistry of sericin. A machine at Georgia Tech processes flax fibers so that they can b e spun i n cotton mills; a plant for defibering flax straw was erected in California. New uses are being sought for ramie. The shortage of wool has led t o the use of rayon in carpet production. A new blanket consists of 50 per cent rayon. Fantasia is a dress fabric made of Cordura rayon. Fiber D of du Pont is a rayon product with a high degree of permanent crimp. Rayon materials m a y be warpsized with Unseed oil. Research o n the chemical modification of acetate rayon was continued. Fortisan, the British cellulose acetate yarn, is made available by a plant at Celco, Va. Prolon is the name proposed for casein wool. R-53 is a fiber m a d e from casein, used for blending with natural rabbit fur to produce hat felt. Vinyon is being utilized in making a variety of felts. American Viscose announced the production of Vinyon yarn of 74 per cent greater tensile strength t h a n previously available. The Army has been experimenting with rayon and nylon a s substitutes for silk in p a r a c h u t e s . Thirty-six mills were licensed by du P o n t t o make nylon hosiery and plans were announced for a second plant for the manufacture of nylon yarn at Martinsville, Va., with full operation scheduled for the spring of 1942. T h e combined capacity of the present Seaford and projected Martinsville plants will be 16 million pounds, and the total investFilaments of nylon in formation. Fibrils extruded from this spinnerette are wound together to make nylon yarn.

chines used for silk hosiery. Longstaple Sea Island cotton is reported to be suitable for making parachute and airplane-wing coverings. A process was announced for rendering cotton "firesafe"; No-Flame is a fireproofed cotton batting. Cotacord is cotton tying cord incased in cellulose. T h e application of silver to cotton flannel is employed in producing protective bags for silverware. A process for making cloth consists of arranging cotton fibers in parallel lines and then chemically welding them to form a laminated sheet fabric. Dipotassium phosphate was advocated to replace olive oil as a wool-spinning lubricant. A process for rendering wool shrinkproof is being developed b y Warner Chemical. The National Bureau of

Miss Nylon of 1940

12 ment will be $28,000,000. Tests are being made of foundation garments containing nylon yarn. D u Pont has been assigned patents on a "sulfone" nylon especially resistant to acids and alkalies, a nylon resembling wool made by mechanically crimping the fibers, and a method of presbrinking nylon fibers. A patent claimed the use of nylon in coating paper, leather, cloth, and wire mesh. Capacity at the nylon monofilament plant was expected to reach 225,000,000 feet at the end of the year. It was announced that nylon bristles for toothbrushes, so far made only for Weco Products, under the name Exton, would be open t o other manufacturers after November 1. Nylon is being used in finisher brushes for conveying dyes to textile printing rolls, in brushes of bottle-washing machines, in brushes in the fine-screen sewage disposal process, and in vacuum-cleaner vibrator brushes. A pilot plant is producing soybean protein for fiber. Soybean fibers made by Ford have been reported t o possess 80 per cent of the strength of wool and greater elongation, both dry and wet. Their early appearance in Ford automobile upholstery is predicted. Fiberglas textiles need impregnants of similar fire- and weatherproofness to fill in the weave of the cloth. Phosphorated oils are said to have advantages over sulfonated oils as emulsifying and wetting agents. Phi-Sol is a sulfated ester of a fatty acid for use as a wetting agent. Disodium sulfoarylstearates are reported to have penetrant properties and calcium stability. Duponol G emulsifying agent is derived from lauryl alcohol; Modinal D is a concentrated Gardinol detergent; Cyclopon is a scouring agent for fabrics, especially for removing precipitated lime soaps. A textile softener, Avitex L, was announced b y du P o n t ; Dissolvo, another du Pont product, is a concentrated degreasing solvent. Tear-seed oil has been used for making textile soaps. Hercosett is a cellulosebase textile finish. The Methacrols are methacrylate resin emulsion finishing agents made by du Pont. A group of polyvinyl acetate emulsions is being used in textile sizes. Prosizing involves the employment of soy protein and boric acid. Rubber dispersions are offered in several forms to the textile industry. Pliosheen is rubber-hydrochloride coated silk or rayon. The employment of water-dispersed synthetic resins has been shown to be of increasing importance in the development of new textile fabrics. Duralene Processed Fabrics is marketing cloth coated with Vinylite to effect waterproofing. Polyvinyl chloride is being employed extensively for impregnating fabrics. Fabrilite synthetic-resin-coated fabric is being used as a waterproof interlining in garments. Whetlerite, for impregnating clothing t o render it impervious t o gases, has been ordered by the Chemical Warfare Service. For rendering fabrics electrically conductive an impregnating compound containing col-

NEWS

EDITION

loidal graphite has been developed. Dot patterns are being applied electrostatically on dress goods. The United States now manufactures 96 per cent of its dyes, D u Pont announced 14 new dyestuffs. The dyeing of nylon with Calconese colors was described. Grapefruit-seed oil is used after sulfonation as an assistant in textile dyeing. Carpets treated with fluorescent dyes serve as guides in the dark. Dyes are being used in tracing underground water.

Progress in Paints, Varnishes, and Lacquers Surfex and Multifex are special calcium carbonates for the paint industry. KarBon-Seal is a paint in which carbon is held in suspension in an oil vehicle. Calcium-base titanium pigments were shown to offer utility in the average formulating range for flat paints. Exterior paints, white and durable, are being made from the new type titanium dioxide pigments. The dairy industry annually supplies 15,000,000 pounds of casein for use in paint. Alumni-Bond is an aluminumcasein paint. Oilsolates are driers for paints and varnishes. Dehydrated castor oil is displaying potentialities in the manufacture of quick-drying paint and varnish. Isoline, a dehydrated castor oil, was reported to body three to four times as fast as linseed oil; a mechanical mixture of 40 per cent dehydrated castor oil and 60 per cent soybean oil was said to dry a little faster than linseed oil. Tung oil is being deodorized. At the U. S. Tung Oil Experiment Station at Cairo, Ga., work was started on the selection and development of hardier and heavier bearing trees and on the discovery of new uses for the oil. Ford is growing tung, perilla, castor, and other oil-producing plants on 1030 acres in Georgia; experimental plantings have been made with perilla in over 100 different locations. It is claimed the drying properties of vegetable oils can be improved by treatment with nitric acid. Chlorination and dechlorination of soybean oil, cottonseed oil, and petroleum products, or other similar treatments, may ultimately produce drying oils that will be useful to the paint and varnish industry. In a process for separating drying ingredients from oils developed by Armour, the glycerol is removed and those fatty acids which have good drying properties are isolated from the nondrying acids by distillation. Galex, mainly composed of dehydroabietic acid, is sold as a nonoxidizing resin. Zirex, a zinc resinate, is used in exterior varnishes and enamels; zinc resinate has been successfully incorporated into oiticica oil varnishes. Pentalyn is Hercules pentaerythrityl abietate resin. Cerium naphthenate is used as a drier. Spirit varnish was improved by the incorporation of ethylcellulose to replace part of the resin. Varnishes made from

Vol. 19, No. 1 cod-liver oil are reported to possess qualities superior to those of linseed oil. The Carbide & Carbon cyclic ketone— isophorone—is miscible with the usual lacquer materials but is only slightly soluble in water; it is a powerful solvent for Vinylite resins. Ethylhexanol is an excellent solvent for the newer urea resin enamels and for reducing the viscosity of alkyd varnishes. The esters of cativic acid are said to be useful as plasticizers. Various publications indicated the growing commercial importance of the methacrylic ester polymers as protective coatings. Sovaklor coatings are protective finishes containing a synthetic resin in combination with oils and pigments. A series of lacquers is produced with which fluorescence effects can be obtained when they are illuminated by radiation in the near ultraviolet. Black-light equipment and fluorescent paints are being used for decorative lighting in theaters and ballrooms. Industrial inspectors of New York State were shown how black light makes it possible for workers to find their way to shelter and safety during sudden blackouts by the use of special paints activated by concealed lamps. The advent of "health" lamps emitting ultraviolet rays has spurred manufacturers to develop paints for walls of rooms to reflect a large amount of these radiations. Enamels are marketed for coating cheap black-colored plastics with bright solid or iridescent colors. Further progress was made in rustproofing and paintadherence techniques. Pigment combinations of zinc dust and zinc oxide have been found to have protective value in coatings for tanks used for corrosive crude oils. The Pylumin process puts paint-base coatings on aluminum and aluminum alloys. Rustproofing in colors is a development expected to prove useful in identifying small machine parts. Infrared rays have found an increasing variety of applications in finishing. Paint to protect wood from high fire heats is being sought through research. Leather Technology Advances Research continued on various aspects of chrome tanning. Work was published on the prevention of mold growth on tan liquors. For some time investigations have been under way at the National Bureau of Standards on the factors which affect the deterioration of leather, and a report was issued on the stability of leather at elevated temperatures. Tanak GC, a synthetic tanning material, and Keralin, an enzyme bate for skins, are new American Cyanamid products. Twenty-five establishments are manufacturing artificial leather. Several new Fabrikoid finishes were developed. Achievements in Natural and Synthetic Rubbers Rubber is used in more than 32,000 different articles; it finds over 200

January 10, 1941

NEWS

ED 1 T I ON

applications in the automobile, and tires account for about 65 per cent of the rubber business. Road performance and life studies of low-pressure tires have shown a doubling of mileage since 1927, gains effected through research in materials, design, and construction. At the Federal Plant Introduction Gardens in Miami, Fla., 2000 Hevea trees are under cultivation; in Salinas, Calif., the production of guayule rubber is under study. Return of rubber production to its native home, the tropical lowlands of the Americas, has been urged by agricultural specialists. Congress appropriated $500,000 for a survey of the tropical Americas to determine the most promising rubberproducing areas. Many advances were described in latex technology, including fiber-latex products. Developments occurred in casting prevulcanized latex in plaster molds. Furniture manufactured from latex was reported. U. S. Rubber announced the development of an airplane armor plate of laminated rubber and steel. A new self-sealing rubber fuel tank for combat planes is in production. Rubber plates are being used in printing, and rubber filters are being manufactured that contain up to 6400 holes per square inch. Filtomesh is a rubber product for use between plate and cloth in filtering; Safe-T-Step is a rubber base with an abrasive for taking the slipperiness out of floors. Electrically conductive rubber is being commercialized; uses will be in places where current leakages or static charges require grounding to prevent fires and explosions. Plastikon rubber putty came on the market; Stronglue is a rubber-resin adhesive; Texglue is a cement with a rubber base containing no flammable solvents. Mapico 297 is a new red iron oxide and Kalvan is a calcium carbonate for employment in rubber. Paratex is a chlorinated rubber floor coating. Chlorinated rubber is in use as a flameproofing agent for textiles. Parlon is Hercules chlorinated rubber. Tensolite, rubber hydrochloride (Pliofilm) stretched under heat, has been reported of utility for the production of filaments, brush bristles, endless belts, and sheet-wrapping material. Pliofilm was adopted for packaging meat. Koroseal hose, tubing, and gaskets are being manufactured.

duced in this country during 1939 and around 11,000 tons were made in 1940. Plans call for the production of at least 20,000 tons of rubber substitutes by the fall of 1941. About 1,100,000,000 pounds of natural rubber are used annually in this country. If necessary, over 200 billion pounds of synthetic rubber could be produced from ethylene from the cracking process, benzene from cyclization, and butadiene from the dehydrogenation of butane. Since odorless neoprene became available, it has been used for many household articles. Methods of compounding and vulcanizing deposits of neoprene latexes were described. Homo-Prene linings of neoprene are applied to steel equipment; Homo-Flex rubber linings are also available. Dura-Bond i s a process for bonding rubber and neoprene to steel and aluminum by hot vulcanization. New cables feature a bonded sheath covering of neoprene, called Okoprene. Airplane gasoline tanks of cloth impregnated with neoprene were announced. The use of neoprene soles and heels on work and safety shoes has been increasing. A "nonslip" floor wax contains neoprene. More than $2,000,000 was spent for additional neoprene production facilities to increase the capacity to 1,000,000 pounds a month and the output is to be raised to 1,500,000 pounds per month.

In so-called rubber synthesis researchers are not building a replica of Nature's product but are shaping specific molecules to meet particular needs. The National Bureau of Standards has studied 29 varieties of "synthetic rubber" and the permeability of elastomers to hydrogen. The products being made of natural rubber could be produced from synthetic rubbers such as those being manufactured by du Pont, Standard Oil, and Thiokol; but generally where natural rubber is satisfactory the synthetics are not used at all, because their prices are now higher. Thiokol is being employed in 38 automotive parts. About 2000 tons of synthetic rubber were pro-

Early in 1940 Standard Oil of New Jersey acquired control of the I . G.'s American patents relating to Buna and made public plans for erection of a plant at Baton Rouge, La., with a capacity of 10,000 pounds per day before t h e end of 1940. Firestone announced consummation of licensing agreements with Standard and gave a public showing of synthetic rubber tires at the New York World's Fair. Two types of Buna have been under consideration for production. Buna N, also called Perbunan, a mixed polymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile, has been receiving major attention because it lends itself to many mechanical rubber goods.

Neoprene-coated work gloves

13 Buna S, a mixed polymer of butadiene and styrene, used abroad in automobile tires, is expected to play a minor role in tire production in this country because of its cost. Standard Oil of New Jersey later announced Butyl rubber, a copolymer of olefin and diolefin in carefully controlled ratio to yield the proper degree of unsaturation for vulcanization. Butyl has been described as a companion to Buna, but more nearly a strictly petroleum product; the processes involved are more direct and simple, and Butyl is expected to be appreciably lower in cost. Standard Oil Development has a semicommercial plant that is producing Butyl for test purposes. Phillips Petroleum, United Gas Improvement, Dow, and Universal Oil Products have been working on the production of butadiene. Formation of the Hydrocarbon Chemical & Rubber Co., owned jointly by Goodrich and Phillips Petroleum, led to a plant whose initial capacity will be 2000 tons yearly. The synthetic rubber produced is Hycar—as distinguished from finished vulcanized Ameripol articles processed by Goodrich. Hycar is being made in two grades, one for tire manufacture, the second, Hycar OR, for oil-resistant applications. Goodrich has been increasing production facilities on Ameripol and perfecting compounding techniques and processing. Ameripol tire production ranges from 500 to 1000 a week, depending upon size. Dow is said to have licensed Universal Oil Products' process for the manufacture of butadiene, while Shell plans to construct a $300,000 plant for butadiene production near Harrisburg, Tex. American Cyanamid stated its output of acrylonitrile had been doubled. Chemigum, the Goodyear elastomer derived from petroleum, resembles the grade of rubber known as brown crepe. The production of Chemigum is to be lifted to 5500 tons annually. It was reported that, by blending a synthetic rubber made from petroleum with the natural product, a material is obtainable that is improved in tensile strength and other properties. The synthetic rubber known as Vistanex Polybutene is described as not oxidizable nor vulcanizable, remaining permanently plastic. Polybutenes are made commercially by low-temperature catalytic polymerization of isobutene containing varying amounts of other butenes. Electrically conductive synthetic rubber was announced. A synthetic rubber coating for the protection of concrete floors was developed; Hewprene is a synthetic rubber hose cover; hose with synthetic tube and rubber cover is on the market. Ty-Ply is an adhesive for bonding synthetic rubber to metals; Ablo synthetic rubber compound has been brought out for puttying purposes.

Synthetic Resins, the Gems of Organic Research From 85 to 90 per cent of the synthetic resins are derived from coal. The world's

14

NEWS

EDITION

High flexibility of ethylcellulose at low temperatures is shown b y this experiment at t h e Hercules Powder Co. Ethylcellulose sheet is flexed against d r y ice. output of synthetic resins, excluding cellulose and casein plastics, amounts to 150,000 tons yearly. Phenolics constitute about 30 per cent of the production in this country. At present synthetic resins account for only a fraction of 1 per cent of the total weight of passenger motor cars, yet automotive manufacturers buy more plastics than any other industrial group. Plastic materials are used in the construction and furnishing of machines of the strato-clipper class. Aircraft companies led by the Glenn L. Martin organization are aggressively attacking the problem of molding airplanes out of plastics for American defense. One firm is working on a fuselage using plastics molded over magnesium-alloy reinforcements. Greater standardization of parts going into airplanes has been urged as a means of speeding production. Several varieties of plastics are being utilized in the construction of conveyor systems. Traffic lines of neon light tubing under a red transparent covering of plastic embedded flat in the pavement are being tried in Little Rock, Ark. Fluorescent laminated panels have been developed for applications in the display and sign fields and in murals for theaters, stores, and restaurants. Plastic tubing in five colors is available for protecting electrical wiring from heat, moisture, and oils. Wires covered with plastics having insulating ability are in wide use; in three years more than 50,000,000 feet of Flamenol wire have been sold. TVA developed a new mica-resin plastic for an insulating agent in small electrical appliances. Resinous Products and Chemical began introduction of synthetic resins as acid- and base-exchange compounds, and studies were made of the action of a number of resin exchange agents in removing chlo-

rides and sulfates from water. The p r e mium industry has a volume value o f $400,000,000. Manufacturers c a n add t o their production by making catchy s y n thetic resin premiums for advertisers. T o conserve bird life, feathers could well b e replaced in millinery b y novel designs, using synthetic fibers and resins a s well a s glass fiber. Synthetic r e s i n sealing c o m pounds hold out another commercial opportunity. An accelerated aging t e s t for durability of transparent plastics exposed to direct sunlight was developed at the National Bureau of Standards. Molds for the plastics industry are being formed by spraying metal onto t h e master of the object to be fabricated. Surface coatings may simplify t h e use o f color i n synthetic resins; contrast and depth o f color have been developed in "three-dimensional" plastics. Acheson Colloids has a surface treatment for plastics p e r mitting subsequent electroplating; S p e cial Chemicals announced development of the Metalon process for metallizing p l a s tics. Increasing interest i n plastics c h e m istry and technology has been evidenced by further introduction o f courses in t h i s field by several leading universities and b y the establishment of the Plastics Industries Technical Institute in Los Angeles. The U . S. Department of Goromerce held a n exhibit, including raw materials entering into the manufacture o f plastics as well as semiprocessed a n d finished products. Bakelite issued a useful plastics comparator. Plastics craft sets are on t h e market for hobbyists. Experiments have shown the protection afforded by Pyralin cellulose nitrate plastic to pipe lines installed in s o u r soils. A series of Christmas cards was made o f Plastacele, which was also introduced in shell edgings. Beading is s t e e l wire covered

Vol. 19, No. 1 with Plastacele. R-V-Lite Vitapane sheet consists of two thin layers of cellulose acet a t e adhered over mesh fabric reinforcem e n t ; Glocel and Dulcel are adhesivebacked transparent acetate sheetings. T h e Uni-Mold process deep-draws sheets o f cellulose acetate into various shapes. T h e popular reception of fluorescent lighting has led to special applications of plastics i n fixtures for such lamps; du P o n t ' s Louverglas from cellulose acetate and Monsanto's embossed cellulose acetate are illustrations. Tenite weldless chains and football helmets were demonstrated. Outdoor furniture is made of woven extruded Tenite II, cellulose acetate-butyrate molding composition. Polyxile is a thermoplastic cellulose product. Ethofoil i s a film development of ethylcellulose for use in packaging; Ethomelts are plasticized ethylcellulose coating materials. The use of ethylcellulose, benzylcellulose, a s well as Vinylite in commercial floor coverings has been reported. Blocks of Ethocel are being molded for use in both exterior and interior house construction. Commercial Solvents foresees the development, from its nitroparaffin i n t e r m e d i a t e s , of organic acids to be of utility in the production of cellulose ester plastics. Literature discussions appeared concerning resinous products derived by reaction of formaldehyde with aromatic petroleum distillates, by chemical treatment of oiticica oil, and by polymerization of vinyl ethers. Clarite and Clarite X, waterwhite cycloparaffin r e s i n s , h a v e been recommended for use in covering histological sections on slides. Indene-coumarone resins which tend to become yellow through formation of fulvenes can be given a permanent paleness by catalytic hydrogenation. Fatty-acyl-modified resins—dicyclopentadiene, coumarone, and indene types—were described. Two thermoplastic resins are Piccoumaron of the coumarone type and Piccolyte of the polymerized terpene type. Nypene resin has been developed from turpentine raw materials. Maleic anhydride is used in fatty-acidmodified alkyd resins and in Vinylite surface-coating resins. Transparent resins prepared by polymerization of glycol maleates and by copolymerization of glycol maleate with vinyl acetate were described. Paraplex AL-16 and AL-19 are resins of the alkyd type; Glyptal 1294 in three colors has been developed by General Electric especially to prevent the adhesion of "spatter" from welding operations. Opalon is Monsanto cast phenolic plastic; Durez 8685 is an electrical insulation; graphite is an ingredient of Durez 1910. Hydrolyzed wood is said to make an excellent filler for use in the production of phenolic resins. Cellulose fiber disks housed in molded phenolic material are being used for filtering water. Laminated phenolic has been utilized in ball-bearing retainers for superspeed, heavy-duty service. Formica Inlaid Fluorescent, a laminated sheet material made out of Bakelite, is an entrant into the display and decora-

January 10, 1941

Ν Ε WS

EDITION

'All-plastic" airplane of the Timm Aircraft Corp. tion fields. A training monoplane was built with phenolic-impregnated spruce plywood by the Timm Aircraft Corp., using

mobiles. United Gas Improvement is operating a plant to produce styrene, butadiene, ethylene, isoprene, piperylene, cyclopentadiene (which is said to yield a resin suitable for lining food containers), and methylstyrene (reported to produce excellent varnish resins). Cyrene resins are modified polystyrene resins. Lumitile is a hollow block molded of Lustron polystyrene plastic. Polystyrene is par­ ticularly well suited to injection molding. Recent work on the control of the poly­ merization has made practical the produc­ tion of styrene resins which are readily sol­ uble in drying oils. Research has been ac­ corded to various possible sources for

15 monomeric styrene, either as a by-product from cracking processes or its direct pro­ duction by synthetic means. T h e output of Vinylite resins has in­ creased several times and will be tripled by a new plant. Calendered Vinylite sheets have applications as rubber and leather successors, particularly in articles of attire. T h e development of collapsible tubes formed of vinyl sheet material was an­ nounced. Ducts of ventilating systems up to 600 mm. in diameter arc being produced from Vinidur, polyvinyl chloride. The be­ havior of polyvinyl chloride plastics under stress where the temperature is altered re­ sembles the deportment of metals under similar conditions. Polyvinyl acetate is a thermoplastic used for adhesives and for heat-sealing tapes. Saran, the Dow vinylidene chloride thermoplastic resin, is employed in the manufacture of synthetic rattan; it is reported that New York subway-car seat-covers are being made from Saran, which also has found application in fishing leaders and abrasive-wheel bonds. In a statewide installation, the first of its kind, 1970 Lucite light reflectors have been erected along the highways. Miro-Flares molded from red Lucite are being sold for trucks and automobiles, while traffic torches having a flashlight base and a red translucent tube of Lucite have been adopted as police equipment in various cities. Lucite is being used in airplane cowlings and gun-turret enclosures and on the pilot's instrument board. The "lightpiping" properties of Lucite have been uti­ lized in the fabrication of industrial instru­ ments to illuminate spots inaccessible to flashlights; it is also employed in a new computing gasoline pump. An extensive group of toiletware made from Lucite was introduced; Lucite is also seen in tables,

This stainproof kitchen smock is de­ rived from plasticized Vinylite resin. the Aeromold process. The Army Air Corps has evolved a Bellanca "plastic plane" whose wings are formed plywood, bonded with a self-setting Catalin resin. Thermoplastic formaldehyde-hardened soybean meal is converted into a thermo­ setting plastic with reduced water adsorption by mixture with phenolic resin. Ford tractor seats molded from a soybean protein-formaldehyde plastic are in pro­ duction. Dispersion Products, the owner of Carterite, started work on a one-piece refrigerator door liner and on an auto­ mobile trunk cover; Carterite is also being studied for application in making fenders, door panels, and other parts of auto-

D u Pont Lucite sparkles in tray, dish, and candlesticks.

16

NEWS

EDITION

Vol. 19, No. 1 N e w du Pont Products*

F O U R new dyestuffs for use in the textile field have been introduced by the Dyestuffs Division of E . I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del. They have been designated as Polyform Blue R F (P. A. F.), Diagen Red Violet D R (Pat.), Sulfogene Brilliant Green 4GX Concentrated, and Sulfogene Bril­ liant Blue RCF. Three new types of Methacrol methacrylate resin emulsion finishing agent are announced by the Fine Chemicals Divi­ sion. Methacrol B E is a stiffening and bodying agent that is compatible with polyvalent metal ions and with cationic surface active agents. Methacrol N H is a finish for nylon hose which imparts snag resistance and a delustering finish. Methacrol SH is recommended for use either alone or in combination with Aridex W R and/or Aridex W P (Pat.) on New melamine plant of the American Cyanamid Co. silk hosiery. A new rayon fiber, with a high degree of xanthate have been prepared and articles permanent crimp, has been developed b y umbrella handles, novelty vases, and shoe of regenerated chitin have been described. the Rayon Department of the company. shanks. A diversified potential use for Plasticians are happily in tune with indus­ Lacking as yet a more formal title, it is Lucite is in the field of interior decorative try and find pleasure and profit in observ­ known by its laboratory designation, construction, including light fixtures and ing the nuances of commerce. "Fiber D " . Tests indicate that fabrics artistic paneling. Methyl acrylate pos­ containing Fiber D possess certain charac­ sesses high elasticity; the monomeric ma­ EDITOR'S N O T E . This discussion of I n ­ dustrial Research in 1940 by William A. teristics now available only in wool. T h e terial readily interpolymerizes with other Hamor will be continued in the N E W S crimp, which gives bulk and loft to t h e unsaturated substances, such as acrylic EDITION for January 25, and will treat of yarns and the wool-like appearance and esters, styrene, and vinyl acetate. Study the work done in Canada, Brazil, Portugal, feel to the fabrics, is an inherent character­ of the conversion of lactic acid t o methyl France, Belgium, Netherlands, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Fin­ istic ; if it is partially removed during proc­ acrylate has shown that, based on raw ma­ land, Germany, and other foreign countries. essing, it may be recovered by simple terial costs, this process cannot compete treatments. An outstanding characteris­ favorably with the synthesis from either tic is a smooth cross section, as contrasted ethylene or ethylene oxide. American Dangers of W a x from to the crenulated or ridged pattern of Cyanamid announced the large-scale standard rayons. This is claimed to en­ manufacture of thiourea and the develop­ Hydrofluoric A c i d Bottles able fabrics made of it t o shed dirt more ment of melamine resins (Melamac), Charles Edwards, Niagara Falls, Ν . Υ . effectively. As with other rayons, Fiber especially for laminating and surface coat­ ANALYSES in the metallurgicallabora-tory calling of D may be dyed for to taking brilliantsamples clear colors ings. Molding powders based on melahydrofluoric acid in the absence of nitric even in the lightest shades. mine-formaldehyde condensation prod­ acid, with or without other nonoxidizing ucts had previously been introduced in acids, and subsequent fuming and oxida­ Europe as Melopas (Switzerland) and tion with perchloric acid should be carried Ultrapas (Germany). Reichhold Semi-cals through carefully. At least one explosion Monsanto Formulates Pension is marketing melamine coating ma­ has been traced to the presence of wax terials under the name Super-BeckaPlan from the wax hydrofluoric acid bottle. mine; they are said to be especially well A FORMAL plan which will enable e m The hydrofluoric acid is easily contami­ adapted for "flash baking" at high tem­ ployees of Monsanto Chemical Co. t o nated when the bottle is opened b y peratures and for infrared baking. Resi­ retire with a dependable and comfortable puncturing with a hot wire. The molten nous Products is introducing a straight pension when they reach the age of 60 in wax disperses into small particles when it melamine resin and also a melamine resin the case of women, and 65 in the case of strikes the acid solution. Bottles of modified with urea resin for baking fin­ men, has been approved by stockholders. hydrofluoric acid for use with perchloric ishes. The amount of the pension when combined acid should be opened with extreme Polymeric methyl silicon oxides were with governmental pensions will approach caution and, if necessary, reserved for discussed by General Electric chemists. 50 per cent of average earnings for employ­ that use. Mazein is thought to have utility in the ees of long service earning less than $3000 production of plastics; it has been spun a year. into fibers, resembling wool, which have Optical Film Presented Employees receiving less than $250 a not yet been fully evaluated. A plastic month participate in t h e benefits of the formulation employing processed cotton­ P H E N O M E N O N of light and how it is harplan without cost, and those receiving seed hulls is said to yield molded articles nessed by optical instruments to serve more than $250 a month will have an op­ of exceptional strength and dielectric man is depicted in "Eyes of Science", portunity t o retire on a pension commen­ properties; a wallboard material from presented by Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. surate with their earnings upon payment hulls embodying a modification of this at a recent movie night of The American into the plan of 4.5 per cent of their earn­ plastic composition has been developed. Institute of the City of New York. T h e ings above $3000 a year. A l l eligible Aniline-bagasse and aniline-cacao shell film dramatizes optical theory and shows employees, both men and women, of plastics have been investigated. Uses for practical application in the plant. Contri­ Monsanto's domestic plants, offices, and manioc and cactus in the plastics industry butions to health, happiness, and progress subsidiaries are included under the plan. are being studied. Dispersions of chitin are reviewed.