I&EC TRENDS
T O D A Y
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Monsanto’s ultraviolet light stabilizers for a variety of plastics are light-sensitive esters of substituted phenols, according to C. E. Anagnastopoulos, director of the company’s Organic Division. While exact details of the mode of action have not been revealed, probable route is conversion of the esteriJied phenols inlo aromatic P-hydroxy ketones and diketones through a free radical mechanism. T h e additives are compatible with polyethylene and polypropylene and are expected to benefit polyuinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, and polyesters. A t recommended use levels of 7 to 2%, the additives discolor the polymers only “slightly,” Monsanto says.
A fuel cell anode catalyst developed from nonnoble materials promises lowcost power plants for commercial ajplications, according to R. J . Jasinski of AllisChalmers Research Laboratories. Nickel boride has been successfully substituted for platinum and palladium in hydrogen-oxygen and hydrazine-oxygen fuel cells for over 7200 and 4500 hours, respectively. The catalyst represents but a fraLtion of the current market price of platinum and palladium and permits the hydrazine-oxygen cell to operate zejith a higher output than similar cells using the noble metal catalystJ. Flames from burning liquid hydrogen, invisible to the naked eye, can be detected by an infrared Jystem developed by General Dynamics’ Astronautics division. A specially adapted industrial television camera clearly detects and displays the3ame pattern. The system uses a special lens whichjlters out visible light and allows the infrared radiation to reach a vidicon tube in the television camera. The vidicon tube, mounted in tandem with a conuentional television camera, reveals only the flame pattern superimposed over the background scene. The system can be arranged to trigger an alarm when fire is detected and is expected to find use at hydrogen test facilities, launch complexes for hydrogen fueling systems, and on board space vehicles.
by the Foster-Wheeler Co., under an agreement with Davenf ort Engineering Co. of Yorkshire, England. The towers, first developed in Holland, came into prominence in the late 7940’s in England with their use by the chemical and petroleum industries. Utilizing the “chimney” principle, they are hyperbolic-shaped concrete stacks with air openings at the bottom. Air drawn through these openings rises through treated redwood racks and passes up through the stack, cooling the water, which Jows downward. Moisture is condensed between 200 and 300feet in the air, so does not contribute to ground fog or icing. Because the towers do not require motors and fans, operating and maintenance costs are lower, and life expectancy is longer than for conventional towers, according to European experience. Natural draft cooling towers will be built in this country
Thin films with fewer contaminants are the objectives of a new electron gun now being produced by Thermionics Laboratories for Varian Associates. The gun, which consists of a filament, focusing magnet, and water-cooled copper crucible, is precisely aimed so that it melts only the center portion of the evaforant, thus preventing any possible contamination from crucible material. Also, the filament is optically bafled from evaporant and from ions created at the evaporant surface, to prewnt shorting and arcing, which can contribute contaminants to thejilm. The guns are compact enough that several can be put into one bell jar for multilayer applications. VOL. 5 5
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I&EC TRENDS
INDICATORS FOR T O M O R R O W Detergent removal from waste steams is being approached from many directions. General M i l l s has announced a new method, a liquid ion exchange system. It is claimed that anionic detergents can be reduced to one part per million in a single stage. The system will be marketed inilially as an automatically controlled package f o r selfservice laundry installations. The company states that even ij biodegradable detergents come inio widespread use, the self-service laundries in many areas will still produce more suds than can be tolerated.
with more sophisticated techniques, according to test results from a pilot plant installed by the Injilco Division of General American Transportation Corporation at L a Grange, Ill. Total conductivity of incoming water is monitored by a conventional measuring device which actuates a Monel feeder pump. Conductivity of the treated water drops to a minimum as calcium and magnesium salts are precipitated out and then rises when too much lime has been added. R a w water is then added in a secondary reaction zone until the excess lime i s neutralized. Exact control of alkalinily and water hardness is achieved in this reaction zone. The u t d has successfully reduced hardness f r o m ~60 grains to an acceptable 5 5 grains in tesf runs. Initial cost of equiFment is no higher than for a conventional ystem; sarings come from lower manpower and materials requirements. Softening of water with hydrated lime may compete economically
A long range study of aging and other time-dependent effects in plastics has
been inaugurated by the Plastics Institute of Americci in association with Stevens Institute of Technology. First phase of the study, jinanced by a grant-in-aid from General Motors and already under way on the Stevens campus, i s an extensive review of American and foreign literature. From this survey, directed by Stevens’ S. S. Stivala, are expected to come guidelines for the program and a clearer idea of the areas where further experimental work may be required. Subsequent work will be carried out by PIA fellows under the direction of members of the Stevens faculty. is expected to cut across the traditional boundaries of individual technical disciplines to embrace physics, engineering, metallurgy, and chemistry. Information from all these discifilines will be evaluated and analyzed together for fresh insights into the interdependency of aging and other time-dependent ej’ects. Plastics manufacturers themselves will follow through on any leads, will have a wider base on which to build their own development work. All signijicant jindings will be published, and symposia will be held on the Stevens campus (jirst one will be on December 3 and 4, The PIA program
1963). An instrument to detect possible life on Mars has been designed by the genetics department of Stanford Medical Center under a grant from NASA. The brainchild of Joshua Lederberg and his associate Elliott Levinthal, the instrument will suck dust (containing any microscofie organisms on the planet surface) from its surroundings into ieaction chambers inside. A solvent, probably water, would then be injected into these chambers, which also conlain reactive materials designed to amplify the mdabolic or life processes of these microbes. Information concerning any reactions occurring in the chambers would be telemetered to Earth. The proposed experiments assume that life on M a r s depends on the same basic carbon chemistry that supports life here. VOL. 5 5
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