'Pnadueto and 'Pn*ce44e& Hydroabietyl
Alcohol
A low-cost resin alcohol, hydroabietyl alcohol, which may compete with both by-products, glycerol and the fatty alcohols in certain applications, has been placed in commercial production by the Hercules Powder Co., Wilmington, Del. The new product will be made at a unit of the company's new S3 million synthetic resin plant at Burlington, X. J., designed for the production of rosin derivatives. Hydroabietyl alcohol is described as a viscous liquid at room temperature, colorless, tacky, and in contrast to the more commonly used alcohols is not miscible with water. It is the most resistant of all rosin derivatives to discolorat ion and to the effects of light and air. The commercial product has the following as its approximate composition: 25%, dihydroabietyl alcohol, 4o c c tetrahydroabietyl alcohol, and 30% de hydroabietyl alcohol. A fairly wide description of industrial applications is indicated for the new derivative owing to similarity of its properties to those of other high molecular weight alcohols. Some of these are in the·
textile1, rubber, adhesive, detergent, paint, varnish, and lacquer industries. Hydroabietyl alcohol is also resinous in nature, and according t o tbe manufacturer will be offered at a cost low enough to compete with other materials. Kuropean and American research literature in the past has mentioned a number of products which may be derived fror~> hydroabietyl alcohol. I ncluded are resins, foamers, detergents, wetting agents, emulsifying agenls, plasticizors", corrosion inhibitors, and antioxidants. It is subject to estenfieation and is miscible with many types of solvents.
Measurement oj Current Efficiency Continuous production of such gases as chlorine, hydrogen, deuterium, and oxygen in lots of known purity may be possible through the adaptation of a method developed by \Y. A. Hamer, National Bureau of Standa.1 is, Washington, D. C , for the precise measurement of current efficiencies in electrochemical processes. It is further expected that with some mechanical changes these principles may be applied in the continuous refinement of metals and in electrolytic. Because of variations in ionic composi-
tion or concentration in the vicinity of the electrodes, precise values of the current efficiency (ratio of the number of equivalents of a single electrode product to the total possible number) cannot be obtained, and the process cannot be carried on continuously with either constant current efficiency or constant yield. The apparatus consists essentially of a cell with flowing electrolyte, in which there is no net transfer of ions and in which the concentration of the electrolyte is kept constant during the electrolysis. The current efficiency for various concentrations of electrolyte in the electrolysis of uranyl chloride was measured using a U-shaped electrolytic cell consisting of vertical anode and cathode compartments separated by a horizontal tube containing a porous glass-wool packing of diaphragm which is used to prevent the reversal of the electrolytic process because of mixing and the formation of chlorites, chlorates, etc. To avoid contamination of the cell electrolyte with reduced products of uranyl chloride, the cathode is isolated from the uranyl chloride by immersion in a layer of hydrochloric acid which forms a sharp boundary with the uranyl chloride solution. During electrolysis, known concentrations of hydrochloric acid and uranyl chloride are added a t the cathode and anode, respectively, at such rates that losses of electrolyte a t the electrodes due to electrolysis and ion transport are prevented. An overflow is provided at the anode to carry off the added solutions at a rate equal to the sum of the rates of addition of hydrochloric acid and uranyl
Florite Desiccant A NATURAL GAS PLANT is the illustration—might have been a unit for dehydrating propane, butane, gasoline, air, nitrogen, carbon d i o x i d e , r e f r i g e r a t i o n compounds, o r other fluids. All these are treated with superior drying efficiency by .use of FLORITE. Hard, granular, stable, non-cor· rosive, non-poisonous, available in various mesh sizes. Selectively adsorbs 4 to 20% its weight of •water—is regenerated by heating " to 350° F. Write for literature— names of important users in your own field.
FLORIDIN COMPANY ADSORBENTS Oept
3670
B. 2 2 0 LIBERTY ST.. WARREN. PA.
Fhi
Apparatus for measuring current efficiency in electrolysis of uranyl chloride: cathode 04), anode (#)> level of electrolyte (F), and overflow (C). When jpH of overflow becomes constant9 gas in the anode is allowed to flow through (H) and (J£) to flush out air. Samples of the gas are then slotvly drawn into evacuated pipet (D) and analysed by absorption in potassium hydroxide CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
chloride, thereby inducing an electrolytic stream flow in t h e cathode-to-anode direc tion. After equilibrium is established, the gas generated m a y be collected in a gas pipet or a n y other suitable container and analyzed chemically to determine current efficiency.
Netv Rubbers
NICKEL
CALANDRIA
Introduced
T w o new l l y c a r oil resistant American rubbers h a v e been introduced by 13. F . Goodrich Chemical Co., Cleveland, Ohio, and are in commercial quantity produc tion. Designated a s Hycar O R - 2 5 KP (easy processing) a n d l l y c a r 011-25 XS (nonstaining), these new rubbers a r e said to have superior processing characteristics over the regular H y c a r OR-25. l l y c a r i\S differs from Hycar K P only in t h a t a dif ferent antioxidant h a s been added t o the former, making it nonstaining and nondiscoloring. Tins is a n outstanding advan tage in t h e fabrication of light colored products where freedom from staining and discoloration are p r i m a r y factors. T h e principal advantages of these new H y c a r r u b b e r s over the regular process H y c a r O R - 2 5 are as follows: 1. B o t h H y c a r s b a n d on t h e processing mill rolls v e r y quickly, thereby decreasing mill mixing t i m e . 2. B e t t e r extrusion characteristics due t o less nerve a n d h e a t build-up. " 3. Excellent high t e m p e r a t u r e mixing, such as B a n b u r y operations. 4. B e t t e r fusion a n d mold flow charac teristics. 5. Increased building t a c k for lami n a t e d p r o d u c t s , such as frictioned stocks a n d calendered s h e e t i n g Preliminary investigation with those new H y c a r rubbers indicate that t o obtain a n e q u i v a l e n t s t a t e of cure t o t h e regular OR-25, t h e q u a n t i t y of sulfur should be increased by 0.25 p a r t s of sulfur to 10O p a r t s of r u b b e r polymer.
Adhesive
for
Glassine
C h e m i s t s a t t h e Swift & Co. research laboratory, Chicago, have developed a formula said to combine desirable adhesive qualities. T h e complex formulation com bines starch, dextrin, and sugars, with several highly specialized additives. The final b o n d is soft, flexible, and flat. Swift's formula 1827 is fluid, light in color, and has a p l e a s a n t odor. I t h a s sufficient t a c k for use on t h e high est speed glassine bag machines, although it actually dries r a t h e r slowly, m a k i n g a smooth, nonwrinkling, invisible glue line. I t h a s s t r o n g adhesion to practically all types of glassine. However, based on pre liminary tests in p l a n t s doing different types of laminating a n d mounting, it ap pears t h a t t h e value of this new product will be even greater in these fields. Ils strong, suction-type tack, while wet, is said t o p e r m i t its use for streamlined high speed lamination, b u t enables operators t o skid or adjust m o u n t s on hand-placed m o u n t i n g operations. V O L U M E
2 5,
NO.
49
LEADER
BUILDS
TANKS — KETTLES — FRACTIONATING COLUMNS HEAT E X C H A N G E R S and SPECIAL EQUIPMENT OF
STEEL — S T A I N L E S S S TE EL — NICKEL — MONEL I N C O N E L — COPPER — EVERDUR — HERCULOY HASTELLOY — ALUMINUM and CLAD STEELS
LEADER
» » DΕ C E M B E R
2202
N.
8,
1947
IRON
IAS PER
WORKS.
INC
DECATUR 3671
