Research Plating
Tungsten
Progress
Alloys
resistant outer surface, useful where m u c h friction a n d w e a r is encountered. R e f i n i n g t u n g s t e n ore, m u c h of which is m i n e d in southern C h i n a , presents great p r o b l e m s t o i n d u s t r y . T h e r e is l i t e r a l l y n o t h i n g in w h i c h i t can be m e l t e d — t h e 0 , 0 0 0 ° F . r e q u i r e d to m e l t tungsten is h i g h e r t h a n a n y s u b s t a n c e w h i c h might b e u s e d for a c o n t a i n e r .
Λ m e t h o d for p l a t i n g t u n g s t e n «.Hoys h a s boon d e v e l o p e d b y M . L. H o l t , p r o fessor of c h e m i s t r y a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of Wisconsin, a n d his g r a d u a t e assistants. B y c h e m i c a l m e a n s t h e o x i d e of t u n g s t e n is r e c o v e r e d from t h e o r e a n d h e a t e d in a n e l e c t r i c a l f u r n a c e w i t h h y d r o g e n g a s . T h e h y d r o g e n a n d oxygen c o m b i n e , leav i n g t u n g s t e n p o w d e r w h i c h is p r e s s e d i n t o bars. T h e bars are subjected to a heavy electrical current, raising t h e t e m p e r a t u r e of t h e t u n g s t e n t o a p o i n t w h e r e it fuses into a rod. A s a r e s u l t of t h i s r e s e a r c h t u n g s t e n m a y h a v e n e w i n d u s t r i a l u s e s , a s its p r o p e r t i e s include extreme hardness a n d the highest m e l t i n g p o i n t of a n y k n o w n m e t a l . In combination with other metals, tungsten h a s been used for electrical c o n t a c t p o i n t s , light bulb filaments, high speed m a c h i n e tools, a n d o t h e r electrical equipment. Prof. Holt plated t u n g s t e n alloys, which w e r e c o m p o s e d of f r o m 5 t o .">5r< of t u n g sten with nickel, c o b a l t , or iron, o n such m e t a l s as iron, c o p p e r , a n d brass, g i v i n g these metals an extremely hard, heat-
Tiny Atom-Smasher Detects and Counts Neutrons
s p l i t t i n g q u a l i t i e s of t h e n e u t r o n t o d e vise a m e t h o d for t r a p p i n g t h e m . In the neutron counter a very small a m o u n t of u r a n i u m 2 3 5 is m i x e d w i t h a s p e c i a l light-producing phosphor. T h e mixture is c o a t e d o n t h e s u r f a c e of a p h o l o c l e c t r o n i e .)U*be. T h e w h o l e d e v i c e is c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n a m e t a l c y l i n d e r w h i c h itself is l i n e d w i t h a t w o - i n c h t h i c k w a l l of paraffin to s l o w d o w n fast m o v i n g n e u trons. W h e n a n e u t r o n passes through t h e paraffin shield a n d s t r i k e s the u r a n i u m p h o s p h o r iilin o n t h e t u b e , it s p l i t s t h e uranium a t o m or a t o m s . I n t h e t i n y explosion which t a k e s p l a c e , n u c l e a r fragm e n t s a r e h u r l e d off a n d s t r i k e t h e p h o s phors producing light rays. These light r a y s hit a p h o t o s e n s i t i v e p l a t e t o p r o d u c e electrons which t h e n are multiplied a millionfold a n d c o l l e c t e d at t h e e n d of the tube.
A tiny a t o m - s m a s h i n g machine, no l a r g e r t h a n a f l o w e r p o t , h a s been d e v e l o p e d b y t h e W c s t i n g h o u s e Klectric C o r p . to detect a n d count neutrons, t h e v i t a l b u i l d i n g b l o c k s in t h e structure of matter. T h e " n e u t r o n c o u n t e r " w a s developed j o i n t l y b y W i l l i a m K. S h o u p p , m a n a g e r of n u c l e a r p h y s i c s a n d e l e c t i o n i c s at 1 lu* Wcstinghouse Research Laboratories a n d K u a n - H a n Sun, Chinese-born research physicist. S c i e n t i s t s t o o k a d v a n t a g e of t h e a l o r n -
FURTHER SKFORMATION R E G A R D I N G
TRANSLATIONS OF GERMAN DOCUMENTS from the TECHNICAL OIL MISSION ( T O M ) and OFFICE OF TECHNICAL SERVICES (O.T.S.) O u r " A b s t r a c t L i s t " b o o k l e t d e s i g n a t e s t h e a b o v e a> P C ( P e t r o l e u m Chemistry) documents. Do you realize h o w very little you a r c p a y i n g for t r a n s l a t i o n s listed as our P C S (Petroleum Chemistry-Special) volume documents? L o o k i n g at t h e first c o p y price, your first i m p r e s s i o n may he t h a t they a r e e x p e n s i v e - hut m a y w e ask you to review the i n f o r m a t i o n of all of o u r P C - S v o l u m e d o c u m e n t s as listed in o u r " A b s t r a c t I,ist" b o o k l e t . Y o u will rind t h a t t h e c o m p l e t e price of t h e s e d o c u m e n t s r a n g e s from $.90 to $1.50 per e a c h O N E T H O U S A N D w o r d s o f t e x t , d e p e n d i n g u p o n t h e length of the d o c u m e n t a n d also u p o n t h e a m o u n t of" m a t e r i a l ( t a b l e s , c h a r t s , g r a p h s , d r a w i n g s , equa tions, r e p r o d u c t i o n s , ere.) c o n t a i n e d t h e r e i n . O u r t r a n s l a t o r s are p a i d o n a basis rang ing from $ 1 0 . 0 0 to 5 2 8 . 0 0 per t h o u s a n d word* for r o u g h d r a f t t r a n s l a t i o n s , depending upon the l a n g u a g e and n a t u r e of" the d o c u m e n t s . F.xrra copy prices are based on a c t u a l r e p r o d u c t i o n and h a n d l i n g cost^ t o us. C a n you afford t o miss rhe o p p o r t u n i t y o f p u r c h a s i n g t h e s e d o c u m e n t s if die MI!) ject m a r r e r is of interest to y o u r o r g a n i s a t i o n ; The following v o l u m e d o c u m e n t s h a v e j u s t come off the p r e s s a n d are now a v a i l a b l e : P C - S - Y (Vol. I ) ()K( :> I>K( )CKSS 2(> C h a p t e r s P C - S - I Y (Vol. Ι Π W A X O X I D A T I O N IO C h a p t e r s P C - S - V ! ( V O L . I) S Y N ' T H L T I C L C B K I C A T I N d ' O I L S 2/» C h a p t e r s y
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Ι η process ot t r a n s a t it m a r this t i m e are t o u r o t h e r v o l u m e d o c u m c n t s o f which you will be advised a r a later dare. V b e y a r e : P C S - ! I (Vols. H I & IV) FISCT IK K- TK< ) P S C M ( P a t e n t A p p l i c a t i o n * of Ι. ( ί . F a r b e n , l \ u lire h e m i e , e t c . ) P C - S - V (Vol. I L O X O P K O C K S S P C - S - Y I (Vol. I l ) S Y N T H K T I C I . Ç K K I C A T I N i î O I L S : If n o t , please at! vise i e anil vw· will Do you h a v e o u r " A b s t r a c t L i s r " b o o k l e t c l a d l v send you a t r e e c o p y with n o o b l i g a t i o n on your p a r t w h a t s o e v e r , also specialize in t r a n s l a t i o n s of i n d i v i d u a l d o c u m e n t s , t e c h n i c a l >r fit her wise from o r I n t o all l a n g u a g e s .
CHARLES A . M E Y E R & CO., I N C . Grand Central Terminal Office Building, 25 Vandcrbilt Avenue New York 17, Kew York Telephone MUrray Hill 4-0654
3510
CHEMICAL
Dr. ing
Sun inspects neutron-can
η ting
alom~smashmachin v
T h u s n e u t r o n s a r e r e c o r d e d a s flashing p e a k s of l i g h t o n a fluorescent, s c r e e n a n d can he o b s e r v e d d i r e c t l y o r t h e electric i m p u l s e s can b e t r a n s m i t t e d to electronic circuits that give a n a c c u r a t e count of the a t o m i c explosions t a k i n g place. T h e new d e t e c t o r also can c o u n t the particles cast off b y t h e e x p l o d i n g a t o m s a t t h e r a t e of 100,000 a second — o u t l i n e s faster t h a n the .standard (ieiger c o u n t e r . T h e d e t e c t i o n of m e s o n s - - c o m p o n e n t s «if c o s m i c r a y s - m a y a l s o h e p o s s i b l e w i t h the new i n s t r u m e n t . " A l t h o u g h our work t h u s far h a s b e e n c o n f i n e d t o t h e r e c o r d i n g «»f n e u t r o n s . " D r . S u n s a i d , " t h e r e a p p a r e n t l y is u n r e a s o n w h y t h e s a m e i n s t r u ment cannot be used t o detect the h e a v y mesons recently discovered existing in the u p p e r a t m o s p h e r e a m i artificially m a d e in t h e m o d e r n g i a n t e y e l o t r o n . " T h e n e u t r o n c o u n t e r is b a s e d o n t h e w o r k i n g p r i n c i p l e of a n o t h e r a t o m i c ! r a y detector, a >eiutillatiou counter, developed last y e a r b y v i t z - I I u g h M a r s h a l l and .John \V. ( . ' o i l m a n of t h e W c s t i n g h o u s e R e search Laboratories.
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ENGINEERING
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