J A N U A R Y 10, 1938
NEWS EDITION
The New Carbon Research Laboratory of t h e Columbian Carbon Co· IRECTING i t s program of research with D t h e close cooperation of consuming industries, t h e new Carbon Research Laboratory of t h e Columbian Carbon Co. is completely equipped for t h e s t u d y
vulcanizing rubber samples a n d new methods and machines for rubber work are being devised. In the paint a n d ink laboratory, equip m e n t for grinding in buhrstone, steel, roller a n d ball mills is supplemented with t h e most modern apparatus for color matching, viscosity, flow test, drying time, oil absorption, tack measurement, and other valuable determinations. T h e chemical laboratory is completely equipped to study miscellaneous products a n d to determine basic characteristics of t h e various grades of colloidal carbon. Special interest attaches t o t h e hydrogen ion determination equipment, which is revealing important facts about colloidal particles of carbon and their behavior in various mixtures a s used.
19
McMilleia Elected President o f Farm Ghemurgic Council
WHEELER MCMILLEN 7"HEKLER
MCMILLEN,
editorial
di
rector of The Country Home and noted agricultural authority, h a s been elected to succeed t h e late Francis P . Garvan as president of t h e National F a r m Chemurgic Council. WILLARD H . D o w , president of the Dow Chemical Co., h a s been elected vice president representing in dustry in t h e council. This office w a s formerly held by t h e late Howard E . Coffin William Crocker to Receive American Institute Medal
GRINDING P A I N T S OR INKS I S D O N E ON T H I S WATER-COOLED BUHRSTONE M I L L
of colloidal carbon from its formation in a gas flame through t h e m a n y i m p o r t a n t products m a d e with it. Occupying t h e four-story-and-basement building a t 214 44th Street, Brooklyn, Ν . Y-, t h e new laboratory has special divisions for work in t h e manufacture of carbons, rubber, paints, lacquers, inks, plastics, a n d other products into which colloidal carbon en ters, together with a modern, fully equipped chemical laboratory. Cleanliness in handling carbon is achieved b y special exhaust systems in stalled a t points where dust is encountered. E v e n t h e experimental manufacture of colloidal carbon is carried out without t h e usual smoke a n d dust. All weighing o u t of batches of materials is conducted in a separate room with adequate ventilation which effectively prevents t h e spread of a n y dust. Colloidal carbon is m a d e in a miniature p l a n t housed in t h e laboratory. Here t h e effects of varying flames a n d position of collecting channels with respect t o t h e m , and t h e many other variables in this interesting production problem c a n b e studied under controlled conditions. This pilot plant is unique in duplicating t h e conditions found in t h e natural gas fields in t h e midst of a busy city. Special facilities a r e provided for con ferences with interested industry groups on problems of mutual interest. Fre q u e n t seminar sessions with invited repre sentatives of carbon-consuming industries are planned t o keep investigations close to t h e problems of industries. While t h e work of t h e laboratory emphasizes r e search rather t h a n service alone, this fre q u e n t interchange of ideas with industries will b e mutually helpful. T h e rubber laboratory is complete a n d modern in every detail. I n addition t o standard testing machines, special modi fications a n d improvements have been m a d e t o m e e t special needs a n d have aroused great interest. Complete equipment is provided for compounding, milling, calendering, a n d
W Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research a t Yonkers, will b e ILLIAM
F I N E GRINDING OF PAINTS. LACQUERS, INKS, OR ENAMELS le DONE ON T H I S 3-ROLLER MILL
Columbian Carbon Co. owns and oper ates 28 plants and produces t h e largest output in t h e world of black pigments. Its production of pure iron oxide pigments is t h e largest in America. I t s pigments are sold exclusively through Binney & Smith Co. I n addition t o colloidal car bon and iron oxide pigments, t h e company Eroduces natural gas, gasoline, lamp black, one black, printers' ink, and oil. I t s natural gas properties consist of 338,000 acres owned or leased in 12 states from which 688 natural gas wells yield an aver age of 60 billion cubic feet of gas annually. This gas is gathered through 695 miles of lines in t h e field and p a r t of it is supplied to Chicago, St. Louis, a n d other centers through company-owned pipelines. The research facilities of t h e company include, in addition t o t h e new carbon research laboratory, fellowships a t Mellon Institute, Pittsburgh, and research labo ratories a t Trenton, N . J . , a n d Phila delphia, Pa. __________
I
N WILMINGTON,
D E L . , t h e landscape
is well-nigh dominated b y t h e massive d u Pont Building. More recently a sec ond building has been erected near by. I t is called t h e Nemours Building. T h e two are connected by a spacious bridge, t h e doors of which are operated by photo electric cells. I t has remained for a bright office boy t o name t h e connecting bridge. Obvi ously it is " d e . "
CROCKER,
director
of
the
awarded the Gold Medal of T h e American Institute for "his contribution t o knowl edge of life processes in plants and for his unique leadership in t h e organization of plant research." T h e American Institute Gold Medal, awarded annually for dis tinguished contributions to t h e advance ment of science which have a broad inci dence on human welfare, will be presented to Dr. Crocker a t a dinner t o b e held in his honor in February. This medal m a y be awarded t o either organizations or in dividuals and has previously been given to t h e Research Laboratories of t h e General Electric Co., to Oscar Riddle of the Car negie Institution, t o t h e Bell Telephone Laboratories, to J o h n C. Merriam, presi dent of the Carnegie Institution, t o Carl D . Anderson of t h e California Institute of Technology, the late Julius A. Nieuwland of Notre Dame L'niversity, and t o E . V. McCollum of t h e Johns Hopkins Univer sity. Dr. Crocker is noted for his studies on the dormancy a n d germination of seeds and for his supervision of t h e work of Hitchcock and Zimmerman on plant hor mones. He is also well known for his o u t standing work o n t h e role of ethylene gas in plant physiology which has aided both plant industries a n d medical practice. Dr. Crocker has served a s director of t h e Boyce Thompson Institute since its foun dation in 1921. H A R R Y F . K O L B , assistant manager of t h e
San Francisco office of t h e Hercules Powder Co., Inc., has been appointed director of purchases t o succeed RALPH B. M C K I N N E Y , who h a s been assigned t o special duties with t h e Paper Makers Chemical Division of t h e company. P . E. LANDOLT, formerly eastern manager for t h e Western Precipitation Co., is now associated with C . S. Sale & Co., Inc., 17 John St., New York, N . Y. f as chief engineer.
