I/EC POINTING
Forecast THE E D I T O R I A L
FINGER
A Better Life for Ivan Reports from scientists who have just visited Russia and from Russian chemists themselves indicate a greatly expanded plastics industry is in the cards for that country. Emphasis will be placed on production of plastics raw materials such as ethylene and propylene, and other monomers derived from petroleum and gas. T h e Russians, too, are working on a process for making nylon based on ethylene rather than benzene. If it works, the Soviets could become a significant competitor for world nylon markets.
Disappearing Rubber Industry? T h e rubber industry m a y some day lose its identity and be known simply as a p a r t of the polymer industry. T h e reason: the increasing tendency of rubber manufacturers to make synthetic high polymers other than materials which would normally be called rubbers (page 54 A ) . T h e signs are already very definite. For example, D u n l a p R u b b e r Co., Ltd., of London, has just introduced solid tires m a d e from Duthane, a new synthetic r u b b e r based on polyurethane. And Hypalon (Du Pont) is m a d e by the chlorosulfonation of polyethylene.
Tough Acrylic Plastic A new method for laminating a resilient and transparent layer of nylon to poly(methyl methacrylate) sheets forecasts greater use of this plastic where surface abrasion is a problem. T h e laminate keeps the fabrication possibilities of the original acrylic sheets and can be formed into curved surfaces, such as domes and canopies.
Coming: More Use of Radioisotopes by the Chemical Industry If you w a n t to get in on the ground floor of a coming boom, here is a t i p : Learn all you can about the use of radioisotopes—especially where they can do a j o b in your plant or lab. T h e boom is forecast by two developments. First, A E C is helping industry finance a huge h u n t for
AT T O M O R R O W ' S
PROGRESS
new uses of radioisotopes (page 34 A). AEC's program is already under way with enthusiastic support from industry. And secondly, the almost phenomenal success of companies in the business of making radiation-measuring instruments makes it seem certain that the trend will snowball.
Big Board and Little Board An idea now being tried by a n u m b e r of companies may hold a certain fascination for industry in the future. T h e idea: a junior " b o a r d of directors" m a d e u p of younger men in "middle m a n a g e m e n t " or otherwise responsible jobs within the company. T h e little board holds regular meetings a n d passes its recommendations on problems relative to the conduct of the company's business to the big board. In most cases, the big board's rate of acceptance of the little board's ideas has been amazingly high. Additional benefit to the company is a ready-made reservoir of top m a n a g e m e n t potential.
Substitute for Oxygen? Liquid oxygen m a y soon be given a run for its money as an oxidizer in rocket fuel by a lesser known and inexpensive chemical—nitrogen tetroxide. It is a heavy brown liquid at ordinary temperatures and can give liquid-fueled rockets almost the same degree of readiness solid-fueled rockets have. H a n d l i n g problems are fewer, too. T h e chemical is stable at ordinary temperatures and does not have to be stored in highpressure vessels to prevent evaporation.
Ore Processing Chemicals —Use Curve Is Up N e w chemical markets in the mining field should open u p as the necessity for processing an increasing a m o u n t of low grade and complex ores develops (page 50 A ) . Also pointing u p the trend to use of more mining chemicals is the increasing n u m b e r of chemical engineering processes used, such as ion exchange, leaching, extraction, and flocculation. VOL. 50. NO. 9
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SEPTEMBER 1958
29 A
