Local Sections SECTION AND P L A C E
-American Chemical Society 105TH MEETING. to 16, 1 9 4 3 . 106TH
Detroit, Mich., April 12
MEETING.
Minneapolis,
Minn.,
September 6 to 1 0 , 1943. ORGAKIC C H E M I S T R Y SYMPOSIUM.
Boston,
M a s s . , December 2S to 30, 1943. Tenth National Symposium.
O t h e r Scientific Societies ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY.
Hotel Roose
v e l t , Pittsburgh, Penna., April 7 to 10, 1943. PULP
AND P A P E R
INDUSTRY,
TECHNICAL
ASSOCIATION. Commodore Hotel, N e w York, Ν . Y . , February 15 t o 18, 1943. 1
T h e list of the SOCIETY'S National Officers and Directors» Editors, members of Council, Divisional a n d Local Section Officers, Com mittees, and Chapters of Student affiliates appears
in
CHEMICAL
AND ENGINEERING
N E W S three times a year—usually February 10, M a y 10, and October 10. The latest list is printed on page 1239 of the October lOissue.
JAN.
Alabama, Tutwiler Hotel, Bir 16 mingham Chicago, Medinah Club, 505 21 North Michigan Ave. Columbus, Room 100, Chemistry 18 Bldg., Ohio State University Erie, Carnegie Hall of Chemis 29 try, Allegheny College, Meadville, Penna. Florida, Gainesville 23 Georgia, Banquet Room, Brit- 19 tain Dining Hall, Georgia School of Technology, Atlanta Illinois-Iowa, Wahlberg Hall of 27 Science, Augustana College, Rock Island, 111. Mid-Hudson, Beacon, Ν . Υ. 26 Milwaukee, Science Building, Marquette University Nashville, Furman Hail, Vanderbilr University Nebraska, Avery Laboratory of Chemistry, University of N e braska, Lincoln Omaha, University of Omaha
SPEAKER
J. H. Coulliette P . Debye V . I. Komarewsky R . Stuart Tipson Paul Kolachov Paul Kolachov
Industrial Possibilities of N e w Crops
B . S. Hopkins
Some Recent Advances in the Metal Industries
George Calingaert
Reactivity of OrganoMetallic Compounds
22
V. W. Meloche
18
Paul Kolachov
28
B . S. Hopkins
29
B . S. Hopkins
Philadelphia, Lecture Hall, Franklin Institute Pittsburgh, Mellon Institute
21
Karl Folkers
21
W . S. Landis
Rochester, Cutler Union, Prince Street Campus, University of Rochester Sioux Valley, Sioux City, Iowa South Jersey, Woodbury Coun try Club, Woodbury Syracuse, Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium, 407 James St. Western Connecticut, Piccadilly Restaurant, 71 Federal S t . , Stamford Western Maryland, Cumberland
18
Lawrence H. Flett
Western N e w York, Auditorium, CanisiuB College, Buffalo
SUBJECT
Spectrograph i n P l a n t and Foundry Control Reaction Rates and M o lecular Forces Catalytic Reactions of H y drocarbons Progress in Predicting Pharmacological A c tion
Industrial Possibilities of N e w Crops Some Recent Advances in the Metal Industries Some Recent Advances in the Metal Industries The Erythrina Alkaloids
30
B . S. Hopkins
19
F . D. Rossini
25
C. L. Mantell
25
R. M. Burns
23
W . S. Landis
21
L t Col. Harry C. Hall
Chemical Residues of t h e War Detergents from Petro leum Hydrocarbons i n Petro leum Powder Metallurgy Corrosion and War Chemical Residues of t h e War The Chemist's Contribu tion t o Civilian P r o tection
Meetings of Rubber and Plastics Groups Π Ρ Η Ε Detroit Rubber a n d Plastics Group, I n c . , held a very successful Christmas party o n December 11, 1942, when approximately 200 members and guests heard M. A . Clark of the War Manpower Commission speak of the duties and scope of t h e commission's work. T h e December 16, 1942, meeting of the Rubber and Plastics Division of the Mon treal Section, Society of Chemical Indus try, h a d a record attendance t o hear H . I. Cramer discuss t h e present situation with regard to natural a n d reclaimed rubber, synthetic elastomers, and t h e "weed rub bers". He spoke of the present stockpiles of e a c h and what can be expected. T h e January meeting, held January 8, was a local talent night, which featured an illus trated symposium arranged t o acquaint rubber chemists w i t h th** plastic industry and plastic molders with rubber tech nology.
VOLUME
Fundamental Research in Foods Τ Ν A N ADDRESS on "Fundamental R e
search in the Food Industry of T o morrow", presented before the Nutrition Foundation in Chicago on November 12, Roy C . Newton, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Nutrition Foundation and vice president of Swift & Co., outlined the development of scientific research as applied to foods from t h e earliest times. H e spoke of t h e methods of food preservation and the place of various types of research organizations in the food industry of tomorrow.
Midwest Power Conference T ) L A N S are being made for the Sixth M i d w e s t Power Conference, arranged b y the Illinois Institute of Technology, which is to b e held in Chicago on April 9 and 10, 1943. "Power for Victory" has been adopted as t h e motto for the session, a n d all discussions and talks will b e centered around wartime power problems.
2 1, N O . 1 - J A N U A R Y
10, 19 4 3
Glass in World War II Τ Ν A LECTURE, December 16, at t h e Frank lin Institute in Philadelphia, Alexander Silverman, head of the Department of Chemistry in the University of Pittsburgh, stated that i n World War I I glass is indispensable. Factories are in operation 24 hours p e r day because window glass protects t h e workmen, a n d incandescent bulbs a n d fluorescent vapor lamps convert night i n t o day. Walls are insulated with hollow glass tiles which l e t light through. Opaque walls are filled with glass wool, a 4-inch layer o f which has an insulating power equal t o a 10-foot concrete wall. I f a dust-free atmosphere is necessary, the air is filtered through glass wool containing a sticky adhesive. Glass wool i n battle ships a n d transports has minimized t h e insulating space required and greatly i n creased capacity. Foam glass is also used for insulation, and m a y be employed in life belts a n d floating rafts. In t h e form of ribbon and cloth, fiber
37
glass is used to insulate electrical machin ery and in storage batteries, t o separate the lead plates. Fiber glass sutures have entered the field of surgery, and the wool is used for filtering blood plasma for trans fusions. Plate glass in heavy laminated sections is bullet-resisting. The lighter laminated material is used in all motor vehicles and the heavier composite in armored cars and as peepholes in war planes. I n airplane noses, laminated tempered glass in the thinner sections m a y b e installed, and curved multilayer plates are bent t o con form t o the streamlines. Optical glass is essential. Bottles contain medicinal agents and sealed tubes carry serums and antitoxins for prevention and treatment of disease. I n the hospitals n e w ultraviolet and in frared bulbs speed recovery. Glass or glass-lined equipment has ex tensive application in war industries manufacturing acids, explosives, and other chemicals. Glass insulators permit high-voltage lines t o carry electricity t o war industries. Glass jewel bearings have replaced the un obtainable natural and synthetic rubies and sapphires in delicate mechanisms. Glass bulbs in broadcasting stations are an incalculable influence in World War II.
30th Anniversary of Hercules ΠΗΙΓΒ 30th anniversary of Hercules Powder Co. o n January 1, 1943, found the chemical firm engaged in large-scale pro duction of military explosives for the Government, while its diversified chemical business had exceeded i t s peacetime vol ume t o meet the demands of t h e war pro gram. The company has had few problems of conversion, o r of retooling and redesign. I t has had t h e problem of rapid expansion, which has been t h e primary hurdle i n shifting production and research away from peacetime uses for chemicals. In stead of converting plants, it has had t o build new plants; instead of retooling, it has had t o increase existing capacity, in some instances a hundredfold. To supervise construction and operation of six government-owned ordnance works for production of smokeless powder, T N T , other military explosives, and ammonia, t h e company's Explosives Department has been expanded about 1,000 per cent. Ail Hercules patents, a s well as its tech nical "know how", have been made avail able without cost t o the Government for t h e duration of t h e war. Hercules has undertaken t o design, construct, and oper a t e government-owned ordnance facilities, t h e total estimated cost of which exceeds §400,000,000. Hercules announced in August that new, soft formulations of ethyl cellulose plastic had been found suitable to replace rubber in manv everyday articles. An-
38
other plastic, derived from pine wood resin, was found suitable to replace rubber in other types o f specialized uses. A new insecticide concentrate, Thanite, was developed, to replace Japan's pyrethrum, formerly used i n most household and farm insecticides. Vinsol, extracted from pine-tree wood, was impregnated i n t o various kinds of fiber sheets, t o yield a plastic material that could replace srteel in certain uses, particu larly i n making pipe employed in seismographic prospecting f o r oil. Improvements in rubber reclaiming solvents and plasticizers derived from pine wood were effected i n time t o be of service in the scrap rubber campaign. Synthetic resins were developed for making quick-drying protective coatings with domestic drying oils, s o that the loss of Oriental a n d South American drying oils, which formerly had t o be used t o effect rapid drying, would not b e felt. Resinous compositions for flameproof, waterproof canvas tentage, for adhesives, and for binders in camouflage coatings, were also developed. Extensive research, work begun three years ago proved the efficacy of wider us age of rosin i n powdered a s well as bar soaps. A shortage o f chlorinated solvents was m e t with the development of a wetting and emulsifying agent, Dresinate, em ployed in conjunction with all types of alkaline metal cleaners. Confronted -with insufficient supplies of cotton linters with which to make t h e nitrocellulose "base o f smokeless powder, Hercules explosives research succeeded i n working out processes making possible the use of wood pulp. This process was made available without cost to the Allied governments, and subsequently it has been put into use by American, Canadian, and Australian, plants. in commercial explosives, Hercules i n troduced early in the year a new dynamite cartridge, Tanaptite, which eliminated the necessity of sli-tting t l i e cartridge, and per mitted concentration of a charge within the bore hole -with little or no spillage of powder. A new cartridge f o r seismograph dyna mite, Spiralols, eliminated many timeconsuming operations in loading a hole, effecting savings in time and operating costs. Hercules pioneered among the chemical industry in hiring women as chemists, technicians, a n d assistants for its central Experiment Station, its explosives labora tory at Kenvil, N. J., and in other research laboratories of the company.
Sigma Delta Epsilon Fellowship OIGMA
DELTA
EPSILON,
graduate w o -
^ mens* scientific fraternity, offers a $1,000 fellowship for 1943-44. Applica tions a n d reference buatements, both in triplicate, should b e submitted before March 1, 1943, to t h e Fellowship Board authorized to make the award of this sec ond Sigma Epsilon Fellowship. Women with the equivalent of a mas ter's degree, conducting research in the mathematical, physical, or biological sci ences, who need financial assistance t o complete their work for the doctorate and give evidence of high ability and promise, are eligible. During the term of her ap pointment the appointee must devote the major part of her time to t h e approved re search project, and not engage i n other work for remuneration (except with t h e written approval of t h e board). Application blanks may be secured from Eloise Gerry (mark envelope "personal"), of U. S. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, W i s . Announcement of the award will be made early in April.
Training Technicians for Syn thetic Rubber Manufacture r
Ι ΛΗΕ Department of Chemical Engineer ing, College of the City of New York, is offering two courses under the Engineer ing. Science, and Management War Training program for technicians t o oper a t e the synthetic rubber manufacturing plants now under construction. T h e courses have been specifically designed for college graduates who have studied chem istry through organic chemistry and are n o t now employed in war industry. The courses will start about January 18 and be given two nights a week for eight weeks. They cover elementary chemical engineering calculations a n d elements of synthetic rubber manufacture.
Synthetic Rubber Investigation OENATOR
GILLETTE,
chairman
of
the
^ Senate Agriculture Subcommittee, has announced, a new investigation of the whole synthetic rubber program, as t h e result "of renewed pressure from all over t h e countrj ". William M . Jeffers, Rub ber Administrator, was summoned t o testify on December 16, t h e first day of t h e investigation.
New Source of Iron O r e A NEWLY opened reserve in Minnesota "^^ is expected to make possible the pro duction of 1,000,000 tons of high-grade iron ore next year, thanks to the coopera tion of property owners. À deposit of 24,000,000 tons, requiring no treatment or beneficiation, will be made available for open-pit operations.
CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
