Silica
New Uses for
Lithium
N e w uses for compounds of lithium, lightest of all solid elements, which had been closely guarded war secrets, now are available for industry, speakers at a joint meeting of the American Institute of the City of N e w York and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers recently disclosed. Though lithium is at one end of the periodic table of elements and uranium a t the other, lithium m a y play a spectacular part- in nuclear physics investigations in the near future, H a n s Osborg, of Lithaloys Corp., 444 Madison Ave., New York 22, N.Y.,said. Three lithium products new to industry include lithium peroxide, a solid possessing high stability and providing approximately 3 5 % free oxygen by weight; lithium borohydride, a solid stable in dry air, which generates 66 cubic feet of hydrogen per pound, in contact with water; and diborane, a gas at room temperature which liberates 78 cubic feet of hydrogen per pound when in contact with water. T h e advances m a d e have led to applica tions in aircraft, chemical, electrical, engi neering, air-conditioning, glass, ceramics, optical, and metallurgical industries. "Lithium also has an important part in nuclear physics," D r . Osborg said. "In contrast t o uranium which is subject to fission or disintegration, lithium can be used for the synthesis of other elements. T h e reaction of lithium and hydrogen in chemistry produres lithium hydride. The heat of reaction is appreciable. "Once we learn to use the energy gener a t e d in nuclear physics, when lithium is bombarded by a proton, or combined with hydrogen, much greater energy could be produced—in the order of half a million kilowatt hours for 8 grams, about the size of a cube of sugar. Otherwise stated, it would give 38,800 billion B.t.u., enough to heat the water for *a bath for every person on the globe."
Tree
Co. Inc., 43-36 10th St., Long Island City 1, Ν . Υ., has developed a tree paint said to help heal tree wounds in about twothirds of the time normally required. It is made of plasticized asphalts, resin, and lanolin, and fungicidal preventives con sisting of pinene, bornyl acetate, and sylvestrenes. This product is claimed to be superior to shellac and hormones, for shellac has proved to be valueless in preventing dieback from the edges of wounds, and the use of plant hormones as growth-pro moting substances is unreliable.
Antifoam
Gels
T h e Davison Chemical Corp. of Balti more announces a series of special silica gels which by changes of color accurately indicate changes in relative humidity. The original Tel-Tale silica gel was developed for use in Davison dehydrated packaging. During the war i t was found necessary to have a sentinel within the sealed package to give warning if the rela tive humidity in the enclosed area went above the "safe" point due t o failure in the moisture vaporproof envelope. Research developed methods and con trols whereby silica gel could be impreg nated with cobalt chloride in such a manner that a dependable indicator re sulted. Through a series of changes in color from deep blue to light pink, various relative humidities were recorded. This was incorporated in the Davison humidity indicator. Later development and research ex-
Agent
Air pumped into cylinder on left shows foaming oil, a condition in modern engines churning at tremendous speeds under lieavy loads. This serious handicap can cause shutdowns of trucks, tanks, ships, power plants, and machinery. Oil on right has been treated with a bubble-breaking agent developed by Oulf Oil Corp., Pittsburgh, which reduces surface tension
IS1
l i si
§!?^8®
feî •*q r-fv^iuioiU io ;^; iμ> .•ï:'i(?i.^iKfjj :
Paint
I t is not only important that tree wounds heal, b u t that they heal a s quickly as possible, for the drying of the cambium injures t h e cells, and severe drying kills them. T h e Allegheny Forest Experi mental Station, U. S. Forest Service, D e partment of Agriculture, has reported that tree wounds will heal twice a s fast if treated with the proper wound dressing a n d if the tree receives the right fertilizer. The research laboratory of A. C. Horn
680
CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
Miracles wrought b y chemistry...ideas born in test tubes · . .improving modern living in m a n y w a y s . . .owe much to Sulphur. For Sulphur is a k e y ingredient in countless chemicals that produce the miracles. Its principal derivative. Sulphuric Acid, is one of the cheapest a n d most versatile of all the
SOME OF THE PRODUCTS REQUIRING SULPHUR ACIDS CHEMICALS CLEANING FLUIDS DRUGS DYESTUFFS EXPLOSIVES FABRICS FERTILIZERS FILM FOOD PRESERVA TIVES FUM1GANTS FUNGICIDES GASOLINE GLASS GLUE GLYCERIN INSECTICIDES KEROSENE LEATHEB
chemist's tools. Carbon Bisulphide, Sulphur Dioxide a n d other Sulphur chemicals also p l a y major roles in the
LUBRICANTS MATCHES MEDICINE PAINTS
chemical industry.
PAPER
II
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS PLASTICS PROCESSED FOODS REFINED METALS REFRIGERANTS RESINS RUBBER SYNTHETIC RUBBER SOAP SODA SOLVENTS STEEL SUGAR TEXTILES
II
Freeport Sulphur Company h a s a supply on h a n d sufficient to meet all anticipated d e m a n d s . In addition to this, under ground reserves plus efficient mining m e t h o d s give assur a n c e of a steadily continuing supply.
FREEPORT SULPHUR COMPANY Ν
OFFICES: 122 E. 42nd S t
·
MINES: PORT SULPHUR, LA.
VOLUME
2 4,
10,
NEW YORE 17, Ν . Υ. ·
FREEPORT. TEX.
Ρ R O DUCTS panded the number of silica gels impregnated with various chemicals, by various methods and controls, until today Davison offers a series that covers a wide range of relative humidities. Hydrogel, an intermediate product, is a colloidal form of silicon dioxide and has the physical characteristic of being mullable. An interesting chemical feature of hydrogel is its chemical activity with alkalies, thus giving it a wide use in the textile and wood-pulp industries. It has also found wide u s e as a vehicle in pharmaceuticals, as an extender, and as a coating for paper.
Resin Binder for Care Sand
New Text F o r O v e r @5 Years
Layne's amazingly solid leadership in the "Well Water System field is recognized the -world over. As pioneers in their chosen field, -they have perfected more improvements in quality and efficiency than all competitive -firrrfcs combined. This has been proven time and time again. Those Improvements have so dlistinguished Layne Well Water Systems •andl Layne Vertical Turbine Pemps that they ore known and accepted as the standard of comparison wherever modern water produc ing equipment is used. "Thousands of industries, cities, mines and irrigation projects, both big and little, not onl'y prefer but demand that their wells and pumps be built and installed by Layne. They know that Layne Well Water Systems are exceptionally fine in quality, outstanding in efficiency and last longer. Layne provides valuable advisory service on all kinds of well water production prob lems and gladly extends this cooperation wH-hout obligation. For late literature, ad dress Layne & Bowler, Inc., General Offices, Memphis 8, Tenn.
A synthetic resin binder said by Resinous Products & Chemical Co., Philadelphia, t o improve the core sand used in casting such metals as aluminum and magnesium, has brought to foundries a simplification of problems common to t h e casting of light metals. Uformite 580, a urea-formaldehyde resin, requires no departure from standard preparational procedure, b u t the resultant resin-bonded sand core permits the casting of complicated members which meet the rigid requirements on tolerance and conformance to casting dimensions, a s well as strength and quality. It is a dust-free, water-dispersible powder, that may be added directly to the conventional muller, kneader, or paddletype mixers, and uniformly dispersed throughout the sand without special precaution. Since this resin decomposes at the pouring temperatures of aluminum and magnesium much more rapidly than do drying oils, cores bonded with Uformite 580 break down readily during contraction of the metal on cooling and solidification, thereby overcoming the possibility of "hot tears'' or metal strains as well as facilitating removal of the core through narrow constricted openings during casting cleanup.
HIGHEST EFFICIENCY harync Vertical Turbine pumps arc available in iiz^s to produce from 40 to 16,000 salions of waXcr per minute. High efficiency saves hundreds of dollars on power cost per year. AFFILIATED COMPANIES: L a y n e - A r k a n s a s C o . . Stuitjrart. A r k . * L a y n e - A t l a n t l c C o . . N o r f o l k . Vn. * Layne-Ccntral C o . . M e m p h i s . T c n n . * Lnyiic-Northern C o . . M l s h a w a k a . I n d . * L a y n e · Loulttlana C o . . Lake C h a r l e s , L a . * L o u i s i a n a Well C o . . M o n r o e . La. * L a y n c - N e w York C o . . New Y o r k C i t y * L a y n e - N o r t h w e s t C o . . Mil waukee. W i s . * L a y n e - O h i o C o . . C o l u m b u s . Ohio * Lnyne-Toxas C o . . H o u s t o n , T e x a s * LayneWestern C o . . K a n s a s C i t y . M o . * L a y n c W e e t e m Co. of M i n n e s o t a . M i n n e a p o l i s . M i n n . * I n t e r n a tional W a t e r S u p p l y L t d . . L o n d o n . O n t a r i o . Cannda * L a y n e - H l s p n n o A m e r i c a n a , S . Α . , Mexico. D. P .
LAYNE WILL· WATER SYSTEMS WERTBQâL TURBIME PUMPS 6*2
Plasticizing
Oil
Nevillac T S , a plasticizing resin having very little odor and good color retention, has been placed on the market by The Neville Co., Pittsburgh 25, Pa. A clear amber, resinous oil with a vague phenol odor, i t is viscous, slow flowing, soluble i n practically all solvents except water, glycerol, and higher polyhydric alcohols; and miscible with ethylene glycol and its di- and tri-derivatives. It is compatible with zein, cellulose derivatives, synthetic rubbers, terpene, alkyd, phenolic, vinyl, and coumarone-indene resins. This chemical is a n excellent compounding material t o use with zein as it imparts waterproofness and lasting flexibility to it. CHEMICAL
AND
The resulting protein film retains its alcohol solubility, gloss, and slick-feel. Suggested uses for the new product are as a plasticizer, softener, imprégnant, and for waterproof and greaseproof paper coatings.
Photographs on Any Surface A process by which metal, wood, cloth, leather, plastics, or almost a n y other surface can be m a d e usable for photographic reproduction will soon be made available by the Glenn L. Martin Co., Baltimore. Basis of the process is an emulsion which can be spread o n many kinds of materials, sensitizing them for photographic print use. During t h e war, Martin scientists projected drawings rapidly and in number
directly on metal, wood, and plastic surfaces. These were then used for reference, fill-in, tooling (tools could be built directly on t h e templates), inspection tools, and for cutting out pieces for experimental aircraft directly from the drawings projected on the rigid surfaces. Savings thus effected in aircraft engineering and production were enormous. After printing, the metal, wood, or plastic prints are developed in the same manner as a n y commercial photo paper. Either line drawings or continuous tone negatives can be printed, by projection or contact. Through use of the emulsion, it i s possible to print photo murals directly _on walls. Photographic book plates can be printed o n the covers of treasured volumes, or names printed o n personal articles such as wallets and key rings. I n its normal state the emulsion is a thin jellylike substance which, when heated to a temperature of 125°, becomes a liquid which may be applied to the desired surface with a camel's hair brush, a soft sponge, or a soft rag. Allowed to dry, the negative is then printed on t h e sensitized surface and development proceeds normally as if it were a commercial paper. All operations are carried out under darkroom conditions, using ruby lights. T h e emulsion may be heated any number of times without affecting its efficiency or printing qualities. A N D
ENGINEERING
NEWS
PROCESSES Chlorination
of
Water
Pittchlor, a high-test calcium hypo chlorite, containing a minimum of 70% available chlorine, is now available for civilian uses, according t o Columbia Chemical Division, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. It had been requisitioned by the armed forces in very large quantities as a bleach, germicide, and disinfectant. It also found wide usage in shrink resistance treatment of military woolen socks. During the war, calcium hypochlorite was found especially useful in combating emergency conditions such as those found in contaminated reservoirs and water mains. It has special advantages for the chlorination of water supplies up to approximately 500,000 gallons per day, or where the daily requirement of available chlorine is approximately 1 lb. Low equipment investment and de preciation costs are important factors favoring the use of Pittchlor. Any type of chlorination can be employed—pre-, post-, ερίϋ-, or superchlorination. For continuous treatment, it can be used with dry feeding devices, or it can be dissolved in water and fed through a solution feeder. Extensive civilian use is expected when abnormal conditions, such as floods or fires, render permanent installations par tial I y or totally ineffective.
Plasticizer
for Buna
SAMPLES now available (or Research . and Development
A mixture of solid, wate~soiuble, polycarboxylic acids prepared by controlled oxida tion of bituminous coa!. . . . O f B I C M E I S "USES
R e s i n s & Plasticîzers ® Surface Active Agen-ts © Reactions Requiring Poly functional Molecules
Acid
Availability of a new development in the polybasic acid field for obtaining crosschained ester-type polymers and resins is announced by Basic Flavors, Inc., 51 East 42nd St., New York, Ν . Υ. The new ma terial, 1,2,4-butane tricarboxylic acid (/5-carboxyadipic acid), is a crystalline solid of refined chemical grade and is said to be of interest in pharmaceutical and organic synthesis, and to resin and plastics manufacturers. VOLUME
1
M E L L Ï T I C
ASSOCIATES
COAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
CAKNEGIE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PITTSBURGH 13, PA.
Ν
Plastolein X-348, a primary plasticizer effective for Buna Ν developed by Emery Industries, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being offered for commercial use and laboratory «valuation. No secondary plasticizer is required to keep down ultimate costs of the finished product because the total cost of X-348 is so low. An advantage of the new product is said to be its excellent aging character istics. In typical recipes 6 0 % of the initial ultimate elongation is retained after 70 hours at 250° F. Although recipes containing X-348 are low in heat loss and exhibit low composi tion set, they are high in tensile strength, elasticity, and recovery. Such mixes are not susceptible to shrinkage in oil since X-348 is oil insoluble.
Tribasic
Technical Information and Samples on Request
2 4, N O . 5 » » » M A R C H
Soùiéie * LOCUST ΒΕΑ!
New Text - G U M GHATTI
D e l i v e r i e s from s t o c k s at N e w Y o r k a n d B r a n c h e s · Write for i n t e r e s t i n g a n d informative b o o k l e t about these p r o d u c t s a n d their industrial u s e s .
10, 1 9 4 6
683
PRODUCTS
Reinforcement for Plastic Laminates A material designed for plastics reinforcement, known as Fiberglas Mat, Series X-30,000, is announced by OwensCorning Fiberglas Corp., Toledo, Ohio. It is composed of continuous glass filaments bonded with a vinyl resin. As the glass filaments are drawn and wound on forming tubes, they are lubricated with a compound that has a chemical affinity for the glass fibers as well as for the commonly used polyester-type resins. The fibers are then cut off t h e forming tubes and separated into loose packs. Subsequently the packs are formed into mats bonded with vinyl resin. A vinyl resin is used t o hold the glass fibers in m a t form because the resin may be softened either by heat or by solvents in the usual contact-pressure resins. This property makes it possible for the fabricator of formed parts in which the mat is the reinforcing material, to form the mats by applying heat alone, or by impregnating the mat with the resin that is being used. Hence the laminator may choose* either method to stretch the mat and form it to the contours of the mold.
Sttlfonephthalein Indicators The Clark and Lubs series of sulfonephthalein. pH indicators, in soluble form, from the LaMotte Chemical Products Co., Towson 4, Md., are described as highly purified, crystalline indicator dyes that are instantly soluble in distilled water. T o prepare a solution ready for use it is only necessary to weigh the required amount of dye and place it in a volumetric flask containing distilled water. The dyes go into solution without heating or the addition of alkali. T h e dyes available, with their respective p H ranges, vare : Acid cresol red Metacresoi purple (acid) Thymol blue (acid) Bromophenol blue Bromocresol green Bromocresol purple Chlorophenol red Bromothymol blue Phenol red Cresol red Metacresoi purphï (alkaline) T h y m o l blue (alkaline)
0.2-1.8 1.2—2.8 1.2-2.8 3.0-4.6 3.8-5.4 5.2-6.8 5.2-6.8 6.0-7.6 6.8-8.4 7.2-8.8 7.4-9.0 8.0-9.6
Fabric Treated with Celhilose
Extremely s e n s i t i v e , m a i n t a i n s c o n stant pressure e v e n w h e n volume demands fluctuate b e t w e e n w i d e limits. U n i q u e features. Details in Bulhtin N-51 HOKE, INC. 8 4 5 EAGLE AVE., N E W Y O R K 56» N . Y .
684
A raschel knit fabric in which the shape of the meshes and the width of the fabric have been set b y use of a cellulosic material has been developed by Dexter Chemical Corp., N e w York City. This fabric is said to have stability against normal conditions of use and laundering. The knitted fabric has space series of warp threads and substantially closed loops extending from, one of the series and interlaced with the threads of an adjacent
CHEMICAL
A IS D
series, so as h limit movement away from each other of the series of warp threads. The loops are in elongated condition so that the two sides of each loop are in close proximity to each other. A cellulosic film bridges the space within the loops, holding together the two sides of the loops, restricting movement of warp threads within the loops under ordinary conditions of use and laundering and serving to set the shape of meshes in and in the approximate width of the fabric but not closing the meshes in the fabric.
Wood
Magic
Pointing out that the same tree may yield the material for a bubble bath soap and a gasoline additive, Robert S. Aries, research associate of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, has declared before the Northeastern Wood Utilization Council that the woods of northeast America hold fabulous industrial potentialities. Dyes, tonics, and insect repellents are among the unexploited substances of our woods. Perfumes, flavoring extracts, decay inhibitors, gums, alcohol dénaturants, textile sizes, can all be extracted from trees. The chemical utilization of bark has hardly been touched commercially and millions of tons are wasted annually. With improved technology and the aid of the chemical engineer, the essence or "concentrated virtues'' of trees may revive the diminished fame of the forests in the northeast.
Suspension Agent for Luminescent Paints Development of a fine white powdered form of Metasap zinc palmitate for use as a suspension agent in luminescent paints is said to help in preventing objectionable settling, without significantly affecting the luminescent properties, according t o the Metasap Chemical Co., Inc., Harrison,. N.J. One of the big problems in luminescent paint has been t h e tendency of the pigment to settle because of its coarseness, according to F. J. Licata of the company, and the pigments cannot be ground t o o fine without lowering their luminescent properties. The substance forms a thixatropiç structure or body in the paint, which minimizes settling.
Mild Steel
Electrode
A n all-position mild steel electrode, Airco N o . 312, is announced by Air R e duction Sales Co., 6 0 East 42nd St., N e w York 17. I t was designed primarily to prevent underbead cracking in t h e welding of hardenable steels. Laboratory tests and field applications indicate this electrode is satisfactory for welding low
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
PROCESSES alloy, high tensile steels, particularly in heavy sections wHere preheat must be used with conventional type electrodes to minimize cracking; free machining steels which normally run quite high in sulfur, and cold-rolled steels where excessive porosity is normally encountered with con ventional type mild steel electrodes. For material t o be vitreous-enameled after welding, this electrode makes possible production of highly satisfactory enameled surfaces without any preheat treatment prior to the enameling operation, some thing that is impossible with conventional mild type steel e l c ^ o d e s .
Quick-Drying
Wail
Paint
Spred-Luster, an oil-base enamel per mitting the use of water as a thinning medium, is claimed b y the Glidden Co., Cleveland, to dry t o a hard, satinlike finish, wash like a china plate (can actu ally be scrubbed), and consequently is ap plicable t o practically all types of rooms, including the kitchen and bath. The ease and speed with which SpredLuster can be applied, plus its quickdrying properties, should be of prime interest where the time required to repaint and reoccupy a room is of importance. A given area can be finished in about onethird the time required for the application of the older types of oil-base wall paints or woodwork enamels, while drying is ac complished in about 2 hours.
Flexible
Diaphragm
Cloth
Said t o be of particular interest to pump and diaphragm manufacturers is the 8 0 / 8 0 base, style DL-011 diaphragm cloth, being produced by Irvington Var nish & Insulator Co., 6 Argyle Terrace, Irvington 11, N . J. In addition t o very good mechanical strength, it is claimed this cloth retains its flexibility and is practically unaffected by relatively wide temperature changes. Although developed primarily for use in the automotive field, the cloth is being recommended for applications where strength, flexibility, operating tempera tures, and resistance t o certain solvents are important considerations.
Pipe Joint
The Ceaco-Pressovac Pump is ideal for backing up liquid or mer cury diifusion pumps in low pressure systems. air displacement . . . 34 liters per minute.
I t has large free
Tested t o attain a
vacuum of 0.1 m m or less . . . test data show all pumps produced so far attain much lower pressures.
When compressed air is
required this pump will satisfy the need . . . 6 lbs. per square inch. May be used to circulate or collect gasses . . . or to conduct fumes from distillations to vents.
Designed for trouble-free operation
and long service to physician or chemist. use.
Low priced for general
Specify No. 90510A for 115 volts 60 cycle current.
Compound
Lake Chemical Co., 607 North Western Ave., Chicago 12, HI., announces PipetiteStik, a pipe joint compound in handy stick form. When rubbed across pipe threads it spreads and fills threads when turned. I t is said to withstand gasoline, oil, bu tane, propane, Freon, air, water, steam, acid, gas, brine, and sulfur dioxide, and joints can be disconnected easily months and years after applying. I t lubricates and completely seals pipe joint threads, nuts, bolts, gaskets, and turnbuckles.
VOLUME
or VACUUM
2 4,
NO.
Price Each
$47.50
ΐΒίΙνΙΗιβ
5 » » » MARCH
10,
1946
685
