BRIEF-
I n d . Eng. C h e m . 48, 413 (1'356)
Thermal Degradation of Wood and Cellulose Activation energies and relative reaction rates have been calculated for t h e thermal degradation of wood, wood components, cotton, rayon, and rag and sulfite papers, from data on both weight loss and strength loss under dry heating and steaming conditions. Weight loss a n d strength loss give similar activation conditions. Dry heating gives higher activation energies t h a n steaming. Isolated hemicelluloses degrade about four times as fast as wood and isolated a-cellulose. Isolated lignin degrades a t only half t h e rate of t h e wood. Estimates are made of t h e degradation of wood under kiln drying conditions and of t h e weight and strength losses of dry wood and t h e strength loss of dry paper on prolonged storage a t room temperature. ALFRED J . S T A M M Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, U . S. D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture, Madison, Wis.
I n d . Eng. C h e m . 48, 427 (1956)
Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium in AcetoneBenzene-Ethylene Dichloride System Equilibrium data a t 760 m m . of mercury have been obtained i n t h e ternary system acetone-benzeneethylene dichloride a n d its three related binary systems. The binary data have been tested for thermodynamic consistency and found satisfactory. A comparison is made with previous work on binary mixtures of these compounds. The system includes a wide range of relative volatilities and chemical structures. Systems of this type are of particular interest in studies of heat and mass transfer. Data presented lead t o a better understanding of use of vapor-liquid equilibrium studies on binary mixtures in estimating behavior in ternary systems. L . N. C A N J A R , E. C . H O R N I , JR., and R. R. R O T H F U S Carnegie I n s t i t u t e of Technology, Pittsburgh 13, Pa.
Ind. Eng. C h e m . 48, 418 (1956)
Behavior of Uranium and Other Selected Materials in Fluorinating Reagents Conditions for ignitions (run-away reactions) have been qualitatively characterized for aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, thorium, uranium, zirconium, and fluorothene in fluorine, bromine trifluoride, bromine pentafluoride, a n d chlorine trifluoride from 25 t o 410' C. Brass, Inconel, Monel, nickel, quartz, and Teflon were investigated indirectly, as t h e apparatus was constructed of these materials. Platinum dissolved in liquid bromine trifluoride a t 150' C. a n d was not investigated in t h e other reagents. Zirconium, fluorothene, and Teflon did not react appreciably with liquid halogen fluorides but ignited in fluorine and chlorine trifluoride vapor a t high temperatures. Uranium dissolved smoothly in liquid halogen fluorides and ignited in vapors of all t h e reagents a t high temperatures. The other materials were not appreciably attacked by liquids or vapors during 10 t o 30 minutes. L A W R E N C E S T E I N and R. C. V O G E L Chemical Engineering Division Argonne N a t i o n a l Laboratory, L e m o n t , ill.
I n d . Eng. C h e m . 48, 431 (1956)
Volumetric and Phase Behavior in Nitric Acid-Water System Mixtures of nitric acid with small quantities of water are found in many industrial operations, and information about their volumetric behavior is of value in connection with processing and storing. The volumetric behavior of three mixtures containing 0.20 weight fraction water or less was studied between 190' and 340' F. and a t pressures u p t o 5000 pounds per square inch absolute, in t h e heterogeneous region and liquid phase. Bubble point pressure a t physical and chemical equilibrium decreases with increase in t h e weight fraction of water-at 190" F., from approximately 2100 to below 100 pounds per square inch with a change from pure nitric acid t o a mixture containing 0.20 weight fraction water. Significant deviations from ideal solutions were encountered above 280' F. C. H . D U F F Y , W . H. C O R C O R A N , a n d B. H . SAGE California I n s t i t u t e of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
I n d . Eng. C h e m . 48, 422 (1956)
Liquid-Vapor Equilibrium Relations in the Ethane-Cyclohexane System The vapor-liquid equilibrium ratios (K = y , x ) .of ethane in paraffin hydrocarbons are significantly different from those in benzene. To explore this effect of molecular structure of t h e solvent on t h e K ratios, t h e P - V - T - x relations of t h e ethane-cyclohexane system were determined a t t h e liquid-vapor phase boundaries from 32' F. t o t h e highest temperature and pressure a t which t h e two phases can coexist. By suitable cross plots of t h e P - T - x space t h e K ratios of ethane in cyclohexane and of cyclohexane in ethane were calculated. For a given temperature and pressure below t h e critical temperature of ethane, t h e K ratios for ethane in cyclohexane are intermediate in value between those for ethane in paraffinic and in aromatic liquids. W E B S T E R B. K A Y and R O B E R T E. A L B E R T T h e Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
I n d . Eng. C h e m . 48, 434 (1956)
Thermal Stability of Methyl Chloroform and Carbon Tetrachloride The amounts of phosgene and hydrogen chloride produced, when vapors of methyl chloroform ( l , l , l trichloroethane) a n d carbon tetrachloride in air are passed over heated metals, have been determined and compared with literature data. A t temperatures u p t o 700" F. methyl chloroform is one of t h e most stable chlorinated hydrocarbons with respect t o phosgene formation. W A R R E N B. C R U M M E T T and V E R N O N A. S T E N G E R M a i n Laboratory, T h e Dow Chemical C o . , Midland, Mich.
