TVonùCTuCde ϊτ&έΛΗΜτηα anc &g* "*o% * rising tendency v|p=- y ~~|rf^ °f producing costs of FfïiiiiSli chemicals in G r e a t Britf^^^^^â ain was reflected in a gF-~^jllp» number of price ad^ vances at t h e beginning of J u l y , while t h e progress of reconversion t o peacetime manufacture w a s assisted by t h e revocation of the Essential W o r k s Order, which imposes restrictions on changes in employment, for all chemical industries. T h e advance of chemical exports continued in M a y , after a decline from £5,S0O,00O to £5,000,000 between M a r c h and April, b y a further rise to £6,300,000. T h e total for t h e first five m o n t h s of this year was £27,200,000 as against £13,200,000 in t h e corresponding period of 1945. While the satisfactory t r e n d of foreign sales t h u s continues in m o s t chemical lines, s h i p m e n t s of a few i t e m s h a d t o be cut down to m e e t u r g e n t h o m e requirements, a n d this factor will no d o u b t a t t a i n growing i m p o r t a n c e d u r ing t h e next few m o n t h s . Fertilizers a n d p a i n t s are in especially h e a v y d e m a n d from essential home consumers, b u t there are few sections of the chemical m a r k e t s in which British consumers would not gladly accept larger deliveries t h a n m a k ers a r e able to provide.
Rise in Fertiliser
Supplies
After w a r t i m e limitations o n t h e use of i m p o r t e d fertilizer materials, t r a d e s t a t i s tics for t h e first few m o n t h s reflect t h e first m o v e s for the replenishment of exh a u s t e d soils. In J a n u a r y - A p r i l 1946 i m p o r t s of phosphate rock a m o u n t e d to 298,831 long t o n s against 246,782 t o n s in the s a m e period of 1945 a n d 136,817 tons in one t h i r d of 193S. O n a similar c o m p a r a t i v e basis, arrivals of kainite, p o t a s s i u m chloride a n d sulfate were 9S,380 long tons against 62,296 a n d 65,071 tons a n d those of superphosphates S6,11S long t o n s against 41,256 and 4,807 t o n s . M a r k e d increases are also recorded in t h e c o n s u m p t i o n of superphosphates, basic slag a n d compound fertilizers. As far a s p o t a s h is concerned, substantially larger supplies are t o be obtained for t h e 1946—47 season t h a n were available in 1945-46 from Spain, France, Palestine, G e r m a n y , a n d Chile. While several new p l a n t s are being projected a n d built for t h e m a n u f a c t u r e of compound fertilizers one s u c h p l a n t had unfortunately t o suspend operations. D u r i n g t h e war silicop h o s p h a t e , similar t o t h e G e r m a n " R h e n a n i a " phosphate, was produced experi1958
mentally b u t on a commercial scale in a cement factory which is now to be reconverted to i t s original purpose, a n d t h e r e are n o definite p l a n s for developing a silico-phosphate production elsewhere in t h e British Isles. Work is s t a r t i n g on i m p o r t a n t extensions to a fertilizer factory of the N o r t h - E a s t Agricultural C o operative Society a t Aberdeen, Scotland, t o house new granulating p l a n t for c o m p o u n d fertilizers t o fill a m a r k e d increase in demand. Mica
Sales and
Bromine
Purchases
Under an a g r e e m e n t between the B r i t ish a n d I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s a p l a n t of regulated sales of surplus mica a n d r e t e n tion of lowest-quality splittings from t h e m a r k e t has been reached, a n d a M i c a D i s posals Panel will b e set u p b y officers of t h e British B o a r d of T r a d e and the M i c a T r a d e Association t o d e t e r m i n e periodically t h e r a t e s of release and p r i c e s for sales from g o v e r n m e n t stocks of m i c a . T h e s t o c k s in question were a c c u m u l a t e d d u r i n g the w a r w h e n the w h o l e I n d i a n o u t p u t was p u r c h a s e d for t h e B r i t i s h G o v e r n m e n t . T h e m a i n commercial c a t e gories of block a n d films will b e disposed of over varying periods u p t o five y e a r s , while smaller sizes of block m i c a and films will be m a r k e t e d within t h e next ten years as conditions permit. * T h e Board of T r a d e h a s a n n o u n c e d t h a t g o v e r n m e n t purchases of b r o m i n e h a v e now ceased, a n d t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s stocks will be distributed in a c c o r d a n c e with existing a r r a n g e m e n t s . S u p p l i e s of bromine m a y also be obtained from British E t h y l Co. a n d C h a r l e s T e n n a n t Sons & Co., Ltd., t h e l a t t e r acting as a g e n t s for Palestine P o t a s h L t d . T h e r e h a v e been few o t h e r instances lately of release of control over c o m m o d i ties, p a r t l y because most of t h o s e which are now available in larger q u a n t i t i e s were freed from control s o m e t i m e ago, a n d p a r t l y b e c a u s e experience b a s s h o w n t h a t p r e m a t u r e decontrol is likely t o do more harm t h a n good. T h e large rise of t h e price of c a r n a u b a wax, decontrolled after the U. S. i m p o r t control had been lifted, was q u o t e d in the H o u s e of C o m mons as an example of the a d v e r s e consequences of decontrol of c o m m o d i t i e s remaining in short supply. Scientific Supplies Manufacturers in ISrew Export Enterprise With t h e cooperation of t h e E x p o r t Promotion D e p a r t m e n t of the Board of T r a d e , a new c o m p a n y has been registered •
C H E M I C A L
with a nominal capital of £10,000 b y a group of manufacturers of scientific e q u i p m e n t s , surgical i n s t r u m e n t s , a n d l a b o r a tory supplies. T h e Scientific E x p o r t s ( G r e a t Britain) L t d . will enable foreigo b u y e r s to deal w i t h a single o r g a n i z a t i o n when ordering t h e s e goods from G r e a t Britain, a n d the new c o m p a n y will a l s o be a b l e to establish agents in m a r k e t s not; previously covered and t o develop e x i s t i n g agencies of its members. It plans t o o r ganize group exhibits a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r a d e fairs. The new v e n t u r e typifies the commercial cooperation developed b y small manufacturers in w a r t i m e , to s o l v e problems in conjunction with a u t h o r i t i e s , whicli is now successfully carried into t h e field of export development. Companies Factories
Formed, Built
A m o n g new p r i v a t e limited c o m p a n i e s registered a r e the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Penicilliuna P r o d u c t s C o . L t d . , a £8,000 c o m p a n y , ''manufacturers, sellers, b u y e r s , and d e a l ers i n pénicillium ηυίαίιιτη, living h y p h a e productions, or similar o r kindred p r o d ucts, including t h e grant or assignment o f licenses in respect of s u c h p r o d u c t i o n s " and t h e Dunlop Special P r o d u c t s L t d . , a £50,000 company, formed to handle n e w products developed by D u n l o p R u b b e x d u r i n g the war. Experience o n the use o f r u b b e r as a n engineering material, s t a t e d J. George Beharrel a t t h e a n n u a l m e e t i n g , has r e s u l t e d in n e w arrangements for t h e m a n u f a c t u r e of r u b b e r p r o d u c t s r e q u i r e d to conform to engineering s t a n d a r d s . I t is for these t h a t the n e w company h a s been set u p . Another D u n l o p s u b s i d i a r y has developed a new t y p e of d e c o r a t i v e flooring tile marketed u n d e r the t r a d e n a m e of Semastic, and D u n l o p has a l s o d r a w n up plans for processing flexible synthetic resins. Ault a n d Wiborg L t d _ , a firm whicli reports a record export b u s i ness i n printing i n k s , paint, a n d industria.1 finishes, will shortly erect a large m o d e r n factory n e a r Glasgow, Scotland, to g i v e b e t t e r service t o its customers in t h e N o r t h of England. British T i t a n P r o d ucts L t d . anticipates t h a t before the n e w t i t a n i u m pigments p l a n t a t G r i m s b y comes into operation, w r hich is e x p e c t e d by t h e end of next, year, further e x t e n s i o n s of t h i s p l a n t will b e in p r o g r e s s ; the c o m p a n y ' s production a t Billingham h a s i n creased fivefold since 1934. Experimental
Seaweed
Factor
T h e Secretary of S t a t e for Scotland h a s now under urgent consideration the r e c o m mendation of a provisional board a p pointed last December t o investigate t h e possibility of setting up a seaweed f a c t o r y in t h e Western Hebrides. T h e b o a r d recommended a m o r e limited e x p e r i m e n t in t h e first instance. Meanwhile t h e Scottish Seaweed Research Association formed in 1944 h a s done m u c h work, b u t definite conclusions cannot b e e x p e c t e d A N D
ENGINEERING
NEWS
New Text With Nitrocellulose Lacquers. Active solvent portion of lacquers can be completely formulated w i t h Shell Chemical Ketones. Lacquers have proper evaporation r a t e , good blush resistance, high solids, low viscosity.
Shell Chemical Ketones possess a sufficient vari ety of characteristics to meet almost any solvent r e q u i r e m e n t of the surface coating industry. Likewise they ofter a wide r a n g e of selection for other process industries. METHYL ETHYL KETONE — α l o w - b o i l i n g , f a s t evaporating, rapid-cutting solvent, which does not hydrolyze. METHYL ISOBUTYL KETONE — characterized by good blush resistance and solvent power, medium boiling point, no hydrolytic reaction during storage. MESITYL OXIDE—higher solvent power than saturated Ketones of similar molecular weight because of double bond between two carbon atoms. ACETONE — of all Ketones, highest dilution ratio with toluene .....mpst rapid evaporating . . . lowest viscosity with nitrocellulose solutions at given concentration. DSAGETONE ALCOHOL — an active, high-boiling sol vent. Improves blush resistance and flow-out. Miscible in all proportions with water . . . most organic solvents.
Vinyl Resins. Acetone, MEK, MIBK and Mesityl Oxide have excellent solvent power for vinyl type resins . . . produce high-solids solutions which do not gel.
Cellulose Acetate. Acetone aids in p r e p a r a t i o n of spinning solutions for rayon. Diacetone contributes blush resistance to lacquers and thinners.
*r Formulations. Diacetone is successfully used in h y d r a u l i c b r a k e fluids Acetone and MEK as w a x précipitants .*. . MEK in m a k i n g cements gd on vinyl resins and acrylonitrile types of synthetic rubber.
Syntheses. MEK undergoes chlorination, oxidation, and condensation with aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Acetone can be used as a r a w material, either as medium of reaction or reacting substance.
g'hkh;glhk;jdlkgjdljeklgjdfdf;gldfjkhjjd'sdfgkrltjthdf,mgdfgmdf/gfgmf/hmgmhgmhg/mg/g/hmghmgfmhgmh 100 Bush Street, San Francisco 6 500 Fifth Avenue, N e w Y o r k 18 Los Angeles · Houston ·* St. Louis · Chicago · Cleveland
ιι ο η ι. η π ι ο κ c ιι κ for some time. T h e collection of seaweed by crofters has been organized, in part by a commercial company utilizing t h e prod uct. A In milium above Prewar
Production Level
T h e manufacture» of aluminum house hold utensils has been so greatly increased that they were freed from Purchase T a x to encourage consumers to b u y them. This step and the cut of the home market price in two stages from £100 to £ 6 5 , bringing it below that of copper, indicate the official interest in an expansion of light metal consumption. The production of virgin aluminum was at a n annual rate of 33,000 long tons during J a n u a r y March, and has been at this level, which is far above the prewar figure, since. T h e output of secondai^ aluminum, ex cluding recovery from crashed aircraft, was 11,400 long tons in J a n u a r y - M a r c h , but is likely t o decline as surplus war materials ware gradual 1}' disposed of. Leading chemical manufacturers are tak ing a prominent part in peacetime light metal manufacturing. German Supplies
Minerals as Reparation
a
While t h e possibility of obtaining Ger m a n chemical plant dismantled in ac
Μ
ι s τ η ν
cordance with decisions by the Allied Control Council for Germany as repara tions for installation in British factories is discarded by well-info rmod quarters as impractical a n d undesirable, it has been suggested t h a t German minerals, mainly apparently from the British zone, may be made available as reparations. In this connection special importance attaches to potash salts, and barytes of which Ger many was t h e biggest prewar produce»r may also be supplied to British consumers once transpart facilities have been re stored. The British Intelligence Objec tives Sub-Committee which included a member seconded by the British Barytes Producers' Association recommends that such German barytes should not be placed on the English market at a price lower than that current, for t h e domestic min eral; a profit might be used for the de velopment of new barytes deposits in. Britain as t h e present output does not meet all local demands. Carbon
Black
Manufacture
Although there are m a n y competing claims for raw materials suitable for the manufacture of carbon black in t h e British Isles, t h e dependence on adequate sup plies of this essential commodity for the rubber industry from N o r t h America
has caused the government to appoint a committee to inquire into the possibilities of manufacturing carbon black on a large scale from indigenous raw materials in Grea,t Britain. T h a t immediate steps should be taken t o set up plant for the production of carbon black was demanded only a short while ago b3r the National Reclaim and Allied R u b b e r Trades' As sociation, since stoppages of production were avoided only with difficulty recently because of t h e shortage of imported car bon black. During the war the Chemical Research Laboratory of t h e Department for Scientific a n d Industrial Research studied tar products and petroleum resi dues as sources for carbon black manufac ture in Britain, with the result t h a t m a n y improvements were discovered and tested in a pilot plant. British Drug Houses for Bigger Production
At the general meeting of British Drug Houses Ltd. it was s t a t e d that the com pany is now installing a plant at t h e factory a t Poole, Dorset, leased from t h e govern ment for the manufacture of laboratory and research chemicals. Later the com pany intends to "build a pharmaceutical works a d e q u a t e to our future require ments"Last year a subsidiary was formed in South Africa, and British D r u g Houses are erecting a new factory near Toronto, Canada, which should be com pleted before the end of 1946. British
SODIUM S U L P H I D E FLAKES As a result υί continuous research and developmenl we are producing sodium sulphide flakes of E X C E P T I O N A L P U R I T Y . Our flakes dissolve into a pale yellow, sediment free solution, denoting a minimum of IRON and other metallic impurities. A typical report from our customers is as follows: "We examined the sodium sulphide for metallic im purities by means of the spectrograph which showed it to be remarkably free from the metallic impurities which would normally be expected to be present y Free samples upon request. ,B A R I U M
Ka:iM 4 T 1 0 \ COUPORATlOrs S o u t h Charleston 3, W. Va.
Manufacturers
1960
of high quality for over 30 years.
chemicals
CHEMICAL
Preparing
Alkaloids
Exports
British Alkaloids Ltd. s t a t e d at t h e annual meeting t h a t , owing to persisting staff shortages a n d a diminution in essen tial supplies dating from the end of t h e war, t h e demand for the company's prod ucts was only partially fulfilled in 1945— 46, with t h e result of a very small per centage fall in turnover. Overseas sales could be readily increased, if the com pany were allowed to obtain the p l a n t and building licenses to carry out plans for expanding production and more essen tial materials could be secured. Laporte
Plans
Extensions
B. L a p o r t e L t d . has taken "initial exploratory s t e p s " to develop a new plant for hydrogen peroxide a t Warring ton, Lancashire, as the planned exten sions of t h e company a n d its subsidiaries operating a t L u t o n go t o the limit of t h e potentialities of t h e site. Search for new methods of making hydrogen peroxide or improving existing processes a t t r a c t s much attention, and t h e company hopes in the new plant to be set up a t Warring ton to reach t h e lowest producing costs possible under British conditions. Great, attention has also been paid during recent years to increasing t h e production of barytes. During t h e war B. Laporte Ltd. added to its range of fine chemical m a n u AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
WORLD
lï IDE
CHEMISTRY
factures, and some of these are now finding a peacetime market. A large modern sulfuric acid plant was installed in 1941. It is still in full operation, and the total output will eventually be absorbed by the company itself and one of its subsidiaries. Extensions are being made to the titanium oxide plant of National Titanium Pigments Ltd. at Luton. G. ABRAHAMSON THE BEND, NEAL'S LANE WYFOLD NEAR READING
South African Fish Oil Extraction Extraction of fish liver oils by up-todate scientific methods began about 193G, .with a survey of the vitamin A content of liver oils obtained near Cape Town; and by 1938 production o£ vitamin oils was firmly established. At present South Africa is supplying about one fourth of Great Britain's large requirements of vitamin A for margarine enrichment. The industry is mainly centered along the coast of Cape Province. The three principal firms engaged have plants working at Cape Town, Port Elisabeth, Walvis Bay, Simonstown, Gansbaai, and Hout Bay. Other additional plants are contemplated. At the three last-named places the liver oil is obtained almost entirely from the valhaai, a shark which is very common off the shores of Cape Town. Most of the South African liver oil is exported, and only a small amount is used for local pharmaceutical and other purposes. The' government has established a Fisheries Development Corporation which has made a thorough study of the possibilities of the vitamin oil industry, and is financing a new enterprise which will operate at Hout Bay. Further supplies of raw material should be available through a recent survey of new fishing grounds. The total yield of vitamin A from the South African fisheries far exceeds that of the much larger Newfoundland fisheries, and export is likely to increase considerably. The fish oil is also largely used in the manufacture of soap, paints, linoleum, and leather. The principal fish caught off the coasts of the Union, especially sharks, have usually large oily fivers while the fat content of muscle is low, except in the case of the pileherd where the converse holds. The fat or oil content of the tissues varies with the seasons and sexual maturity as well as environment. In most sharks the liver constitutes about 10% of the total weight of fish and sometimes as much as 35%, and the oil content ranges from 25 to 80% of the liver. Dogfish livers yield up to 80% oil if of the putty gray variety, but only 40% if darkV O L U M E
2 4,
NO.
14
>
»
WBSTONS.* care easy to r e a d e v e n in d i f f i c u l t
accurately locations
Not only are W E S T O N thermometers inherently accu-rate over t h e entire scale, but their gauge-type dials with bold figures and divisions can be redd easily/ . . . without error or guesswork . . . even in dim light or when mounted in difficult-to-get-at locations. Thei r all-metal construction, too, enables them to maintain their d e p e n d a b l e a c c u r a c y over long p e r i o d s , despite vibration or subjection to temporary over temperatures. There are no vital parts to bres-k o r leak, nothing under pr-essure. W E S T O N thermometers are available in types, sizes and stem lengths for equipment mounting, as welt as for all industrial and processing require,m e n t s . Ask for Bulletin.
Weston^ Electrical Instrument Corporation, 6 6 0 Frelinghuysen Ave., Newark 5, N. J . .
JULY
2 5,
1946
1961
WORLD
For either L A B O R A T O R Y USE or C O M M E R C I A L pplications
/ ^^
f
*r^®?Ç%
RHvmonD 8-INCH SCREEN MILL T h i s sturdily built u n i t is suitable for cont i n u o u s g r i n d i n g a s i*1 small i n d u s t r i a l operations . .. w i t h capacities r a n g i n g from a m i n i m u m of a b o u t 25 to a m a x i m u m of approximately 150 p o u n d s per h o u r , depending o n the n a t u r e of t h e m a t e r i a l a n d t h e fineness of g r i n d .
Cod
! I I I j
•
*
COMBUSTION
DIVISION
ENGINEERING C O M P A N Y , INC. Sales Offices in Principal Cities
1962
50 1
1000-2000 100
Australia
1 3 1 6 N o r t h Branch St., C H I C A G O 2 2 , Illinois Canada:
4-6
20-70
\V. G. CASS
>
R A Y M O N D PULVERIZER
International Units per cram of Vitamin A ( J 000) Vitamin D 200-300 10-12 200-600 10-40 25-200 100-600 15-30
It is thus evident that most of the liver oils from the South African fish have a much greater potency than cod liver oil and many compare favorably with halibut. During the past two or three years a series of papers on South African fish and fish products have been published in J. Sac. Chem. Ind.y London. No. XX appeared in the issue of January 1946 and appears to be the last.
T h e 8-Inch Mill is m o u n t e d on a m e t a l s t a n d with angle-iron legs a n d casters, It is fLilly assembled, ready for operation by plugging i n th e electric circuit. Equipped w i t h one H.P. m o t o r for m a i n drive, a n d a fractional H,P- m o t o r for feeder. Set of screens furnished for r e g u l a t i n g t h e fineness of product:. Write for M i_ab" Bulletin N o . 53
CHEMISTRY
colored ;mcl mottled. The vitamin A content of these latter, however, is higher than in those of Lighter color. Among the various processes of extraction the most popular is the direct steam in which the livers are placed in large vessels having bottom steam injection. Water is subsequently forced into the vessel and the oil allowed to drain away. The water is separated either by settling or by centrifugal action. The oil is filtered and run into storage tanks. The preparation of Vitamin A and D concentrates is an important part of the industry, and the following methods are used: (a) saponification, whereby unsaponifiable is separated from the oil and redissolved in a vegetable oil such as cottonseed oil; (b) absorption on activated carbon or other absorbent from which the vitamins are washed out with a solvent—e.g., toluene; (c) molecular distillation, whereby the vitamin. are removed under extremely high vacuum, extent of removal being controlled by mixing in a dye having the same distillation curve as the vitamin so that when the dye is distilled off it is known that the vitamin also has been removed. Vitamin contents of the principal fish liver oils are as follows:
Stock fish Kingklip Kabeljou Stonebuss Blue shark Dogfish John Dory or comparison Halibut
It is also economically adapted for l a b o r a tory work, as in b a t c h grinding of test samples, o r for t h e development of new products. It riandles dry m a t e r i a l s , such a s chemicals, p i g m e n t s , dyestuffs, cosmetic powders, synthetic resin c o m p o u n d s , food products, clays, a n d o t h e r n o n - m e t a l l i c minerals, except abrasives.
WIDE
C o m b u s t i o n Engineering C o r p . , L t d . , M o n t r e a l
C H E M I C A L
T.\ view of the sustained and growing interest in the chemurgical movement in various parts of the world it may be worthwhile to record that this subject figures prominently in the proceedings of the Empire Scientific Conference in London, convened by the Royal Society, and now in session. An important contribution was a paper by E. J. Hortung, professor of chemistry in the University of Melbourne whose principal topic was wool and its by-products. Wool production is Australia's leading industry, and the two by-products—wool grease or suint and A N D
E N G I N E E R I N G
N E W S
To avoid damage from Oxidation . . .
protect with NITROGEN LINDE has offices i n P r i n c i p a l Cities L I N D E N i t r o g e n p r o v i d e s a n ideal m e a n s of p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t o x i d a t i o n a n d c o r r o s i o n b y air. F o r p a c k a g i n g d e h y d r a t e d foods; for d e a e r a t i n g , processing,
storing
a n d p a c k a g i n g fats a n d oils of all k i n d s ; or for p r o v i d i n g a n i n e r t a t m o s p h e r e , free of i m p u r i t i e s , for t h e
Eastern States
Baltimore, Md. Boston, Mass. Buffalo, Ν. Υ. Charleston, W . Va. New York, Ν . Υ. Philadelphia, Pa. Pittsburgh, Pa.
c o m p l e t e p r o t e c t i o n of p r a c t i c a l l y a n y m a t e r i a l s u s ceptible t o oxidation, use
LIJNDE
C e n t r a l States
Nitrogen.
L I N D E N i t r o g e n is 9 9 . 7 % p u r e , b u t is also a v a i l a b l e b o n e d r y a n d a t h i g h e r p u r i t y for special
applica-
t i o n s . I t is s u p p l i e d as a c o m p r e s s e d g a s i n c y l i n d e r s containing
224 c u . ft. e a c h , or i n b u l k i n t a n k - t r u c k
Chicago, 111.' Cincinnati, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Detroit, Mich. Indianapolis, Ind. Milwaukee, Wis. Minneapolis, Minn· St. Louis, Mo.
a n d t a n k - c a r l o t s as a l i q u i d w h i c h is c o n v e r t e d i n t o g a s e o u s n i t r o g e n as r e q u i r e d ·
LINDE
Nitrogen in bulk
offers r e m a r k a b l e s a v i n g s i n cost a n d e l i m i n a t e s c y l inder handling. Write or call the Linde
office nearest
you·
S o u t h e r n States
Atlanta, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. Jacksonville, Fla. Memphis, Tenn. New Orleans, La. S o u t h w e s t e r n States
T H E L I N D E A I R PRODUCTS COMPANY Unit of Union Carbide
and Carbon
Corporation
EEH3 3 0 E . 4 2 i i d St., New York 17, N. Y. · Offices in Other Principal Cities
W e s t e r n States
T h e words "Linde" a n d "Prest-O-Lite" are registered trade-marke.
ARGON XENON V O L U M E
2 4,
NO.
HYDROGEN
NITROGEN
OXYGEN
HELIUM
KRYPTON
NEON
\%fetf-Oi@te 14
JULY
2 5;
ACETYLÏNE 1946
Dallas, Texas Denver, Colo. Houston, Texas Kansas City, Mo< Tulsa, Okla.
B u t t e , Mont. El Paso, Texas Los Angeles, Calif. Phoenix, Ariz. Portland, Ore. Salt Lake City, Utah San Francisco, Calif. Seattle, Wash. Spokane, Wash.
1963
WORLD
DOES YOUR RESEARCH LIBRARY HAVE THESE FOREIGN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL BOOKS? Cat. No. 51 Autenrieth, Wilhelm, and K. H. Bauer Die Auffindung der Giftc und stark wirkenden ArzneistofFe zum Gebrauch in chemischen Laboratories 6., neubearb. Aufl. von Dr. K. H. Bauer, Dresden, Steinkopff, 1943. 343 p. S7.00 156
Fischer, Emil Untersuchungeo. iiber Arninosâuren, Polypeptide ilnd Protéine. Berlin, Springer, 1906, 1923. 2 vols, v. 1: xi, 770 p. $18.00 v. 2: hrsg. von M. Bergmann. ix, 922 p. S20.00 $38.00
185
Kunze, Rudolf Lecithin. Berlin, Rosenmeier, 1941.- 166 p . (Arzneimittelforschungen. Bd. 1) $3.25
152
Minier, Eugen Neuere Anschamungen der organischen Chênaie. Berlin, Springer, 1940. x, 391 p. (Organische Chernie in Einzeldarstcllungen. Bd- 1) $10.50
195
Philippoff, Wladimir Viskositât d e r Kolloide. Dresden, Steinkopff, 1942. xvi, 354 p. (Ha>ndbuch der Kolloid\vissenscha»ft. Bd. 9) $10.50
176
Samec, Maksimilîjan Die neuere Entovicklung der Kolloidchemie der Stârke. Dresden, Steinkopff, 1941. xvi, 543 p. (Handbuoh der Kolioidwissenschaft, Bd. 8) $10.00
179
Steinkopf, Georg 'Wilhelm Die Chernie d e s Thiophens. Dresden, Steinkopff, 1941. viii, 235 p. (Wissenschaftliche Forschungberichte. Naturwiss. Reihe. Bd. 53) $4.85
Order by Catalog Number
from
J. W. EDWARDS, Publisher Ann Arbor, Michigan for Klico, Inc.
1964
WIDE
wool wax—could be made available in large quantities. Wool grease is a complex mixture of potassium and other soaps accumulated in the fleece to the extent annually of about 30,000 tons in the total wool yield; while wool wax, a mixture of cholesteryl and other esters, is est imated at about 80,000 tons. The suint is largely soluble in water while the wax is not. Both of them in" the process of woolscouring pass into the wash liquors and form troublesome effluents. Various methods of recovery include treatment with acid, centrifugal separation, forced aeration, and flotation. U p to 5 0 % of t h e wax may be recovered by these means but most of the potassium salts in the suint are lost; and the methods, are not cheap, because of the large quantities to b e handled. Solvent extraction of the wool itself has been adopted to some extent in Europe and in America, with hydrocarbons chlorinated or not, and before or after water extraction, with good results. The purified wool wax (lanolin) is a rich source of sterols and the higher alcohols, and many useful materials are obtained both from that and the suint, either as finished product or intermediates. A thorough investigation is being undertaken by the Industrial Chemistry Division of t h e Committee of Scientific and Industrial Research, Australia. At present only a small proportion of the wool wax potentially available is recovered and much of the suint is lost. The possibility of using waste wool i t self as a chemical raw material is also of interest, as a source of protein, hydrolysates of special type for medicinal use, and for the manufacture of synthetic fibers and plastics.
Products Jrom
Eucalyptus
Pulp and paper manufacture in which eucalyptus is largely used is another important Australian industry. Eucalyptus wood is specially valuable partly owing t o the lower content and more reactive nature of the lignin; but it contains, on the other hand, rather too much xylan for some purposes, and this must be reduced if the wood is used for high alpha-cellulose pulp for explosives and the viscose industry. Special methods for such removal have been worked out in Australia. From the spent liquors of chemical pulping in Victoria some 10,000 tons of dry lignin could be obtained annually, and about · half this amount in Tasmania. That from Victoria contains sulfur while the Tasmanian variety does not, and both of course have undergone some change— e.g., preliminary polymerization under the action of alkali and subsequent treatment. It has been shown recently in Australia that this material could supply larg^ amounts of thermosetting and thermoCHEMICAL
CHEMISTRY plastic material for plastics, either alone or in combination with phenols, amines, and aldehydes. Of the very considerable quantities of eucalyptus oil potentially available of both types—-cineol and phellandrene— only comparatively small amounts are used, mainly for ore flotation and to a lesser extent for medicinal purposes. C:ses for
Straw
Another product of interest for industrial applications is straw of which also vast quantities are potentially available. Some attention has been given to production of furfural but yields at present are rather small, although some· German^ workers have claimed good yields of both furfural and pulp by mild acid hydrolysis followed by alkaline cooking. Oat and rice straw, cottonseed hulls, and maize : cobs may also yield u p t o 10 t o 1 1 % of furfural by acid hydrolysis, leaving a \ residue which could possibly serve as a plastics filler. I t is thought tliat 15,000 tons could be made available annual]}'', b u t most of it would have t o be exported since the local market for furfural at present needs little more than 250 tons for plastics manufacture, in which it has been found t o offer special advantages. The interesting American developments in the use of sugar as a chemical raw material have a s yet found little or n o counterpart in Australia. Tîic annua] production in that country of about 125,000 tons of molasses i s largely sold tfô distillers for alcohol and rum insuiufacture,* with lesser amounts for stock food and fertilizers.
Fisheries
Potentialities
Australian fisheries also offer considerable scope for planned development; b u t n o chemical industry of any importance has yet been established in this promising: j field except the comparatively small scaled manufacture of liver oil rich in. vitamin AI from the snapper shark. Output was*] only about 15,000 gallons annually to-j wards the close of the war. Otûier lines ofj development would include the manufac-j ture of alginates, agar-agar, etc. j W . G. C A S S | ELMDALE FAKM I PRINCES RISBOBOUGH, ENGLAND j
Sicilian
Superphosphate
Production b y the four superphosphate plants now in operation in Sicily is reported to have reached an annual rate of 750,000 quintals, according to a report t o the Department of Commerce. When repairs to the plant i n Licata have BcTen·* completed, it is hoped that tliis figure can be increased to 1,000,000 quintals, which would be almost sufficient for the needs of the island. A N D
ENGINEERING
NEWS
Norwegian
Paper
Plant
HEWS
Borregaard, Norway's largest paper and wood pulp factory, plans extensive modernization and expansion. A new cellulose factory will be built, and it is planned to centralize research work by the construction of a new research laboratory. Cost of the program is estimated at 20,000,000 kroner.
Karafuto
ONE OF OUR
ΜΟηΈ DtFFICUlT JOSS
Industry
The* southern half (Japanese Karafuto) of the island of Sakhalin possesses se vend important industries according to a report received at the Department of Commerce. In addition to sawmills and rayon and paper factories, the region is reported to have a number of plants manufacturing methanol, acetone, and acetic acid. A considerable part of the fish catch in this area goes into fertilizer material.
Brazilian
Menthol
Once a comparatively insignificant industry, menthol production is now engaged i n by twenty factories in the State of Sâo Paulo alone, the center of the industry. Using Japanese mint as raw material (the original plants are said to have been brought by Japanese immigrants in 1923), a yield of 8 5 % menthol and two crops a year are claimed, a s contrasted with the B5% yield and one crop which U. S. producers can get from the American variety.
Palesitine's Acid Plant
jÉâSllÉI^^
Sulfuric
Acid in
2 4,
NO.
Alloying Elements . Conveyor Belt · . · H e a d Shaft Tail Shaft
14
15% Chromium, 3 5 % Nickel 8^400 pounds,, statically cas* 1,625 pounds, centrif ugally cast 804 pounds, centrifugally cast
The belt consists of several thousand individual links assembled and held together b y alloy steel rods. No machining of the links w a s necessary. The lugs on the head shaft were cast integrally with the shaft. The end cones on both shafts were cast statically and then welded on. You may not need a conveyor for a heat-treating furnace such as this, but if you need a n y high alloy casting—for resisting heat, corrosion or abrasion—we would like tq discuss producing it for you. Our experience in static castings g o e s back to 1922 and in centrifugal castings back to 1931, both pioneering dates.
Brazil
Brazilian plastic molding industry showed substantial development in 1944, according t o consular reports to this country. Plans are reported under consideration for production of cellulose acetate molding powder. Sulfuric acid production increased during the year to meet heavy industrial de'iuands, it was reported. A new plant for i t s manufacture is being erected in Pernambuco with a daily capacity of 2 0 metric tons. Part of the output will be used i n making superphosphates for sugar plantations. V O L U M E
^^fiéÊÊ
It's a conveyor assembly for a heat-treating furnace, alloyed and cast for a large manufacturer of automobile parts. Perhaps y o u would be interested in some facts;
A sulfuric acid factory is under construction in Palestine b y Taasiyah Chernith Tel-Aviv, Ltd., with annual capacity of 15,000 metric tons. Arrangements have been made for t h e importation of machinery and materials. The firm will use the sulfuric acid in its manufacture of superphosphates. During the war sulfuric acid production w a s begun b y the Consolidated Refineries, Ltd., Haifa Bay, b u t the output was not sufficient to meet requirements.
Plastics,
V'jM
TU .
DURALOY COMPANY
^fiic^ancf-PJa0M^^I0^^}
McàgieM Qïficei
l £ É a s f e ^ s t Streetyîfeyr York 17, Ν. Ϋ. / ''..·'· Chicago & Detroit:^:
JULY
2 5,
1946
1965
WORLD
I*. S. Sulfuric
to
WIDE
Mexico
Sales to Mexico of sulfuric acid from the L* ni ted States are expected to increase in t he postwar period as a result of the sub stantial industrial development of the past five years, says a report received at the Department of Commerce. Before the war Mexican production was sufficient not only t o supply domestic needs but to furnish a small surplus for export to Cen tral and South America. The present shortage of supplies has created interest in expanding production capacity, but in only one case has actual construction re sulted.
British
Atomic
Energy
Under the terms of an atomic energy bill filed in Parliament May 1 all of Brit ain's atomic energy projects will be con trolled by the Ministry of Supply, which will be charged with promoting the de velopment of atomic energy and be give wide powers of censorship and investiga tion. A financial memorandum accompanying the bill refers to £30,000,000 that is to be spent on atomic energy development.
Australian DDT on
Use of Livestock
D D T was effectively used in Australia against arsenic-resistant ticks and buffalo flies in experiments conducted jointly by the Central Coastal Graziers' Association and the Australian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The insects were completely eliminated when a 2 % DDT spray was used, and the cattle had not been reinfested up to 4 weeks after ward, it is stated.
Swiss
Dyes
A considerable change has occurred in the destinations of Swiss dye exports, ac cording to a report to the Department of Commerce. In 193S, 50% was imported by Germany, France, the United King dom, and the United States, whereas in 1944 Sweden and India were the leading customers. Exports during the first S months of 1945 were sent principally to India, followed by Spain, Sweden, Ar gentina, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They have been resumed to Belgium and France and some also went to Portugal, Mexico, and several South American countries.
USSR Rug Dye
Studies
The Soviet Institute of Handicraft has been particularly interested in research on natural dyes in connection with its ef forts t o restore the oriental rug industry 1966
CHEMISTRY in the USSR, according to Department of Commerce sources. -After extensive work, involving travel in rug-making districts, the study of old books and documents, and interviews with artisans, the institute's representatives have acquired plants and formulas used by rug makers. Several hundred have been cultivated in the Botanical Gardens of the Soviet Academy of Science. The leaves and roots have been dried and dyes extracted according to old formulas and the products obtained as liquid or powder used on sample rugs in the institute's workshop. Among the plants producing vegetable dyes are madder, "cheese ren net", St. John's wort, centinody, and sorrel. I t has been found that the flora of Turkmen includes more than 70 wild plants which can be used for dyeing fab rics, and the biochemical laboratory of the Turkmenian Branch of the Academy of Science of the USSR has done considerable research on the discovery of simple methods of producing dyes from these plants.
Belgian
Gelatin
Principally because of the coal short age, Belgian casein and gelatin produc tion continues low and is not sufficient to meet even domestic requirements, ac cording to a report to the Department of Commerce. Before the war, exports of casein amounted to about 8,000 metric tons annually. Three shipments of bones have been received, so that raw materials are available, and plants are ready t o start operating when coal can be ob tained.
Dutch
Cyclotron
A cyclotron, weighing 215 tons, which was begun secretly during the German occupation at the Philips works at Eind hoven, is being moved to Amsterdam for atomic energy research. Jan Clay and Gerrit J. Sizoe, physicists of Amsterdam Municipal University, assisted by J. J. Bakker, one of the builders of the cyclo tron, will conduct the research.
German Synthetic Fiber Manufacture "Synthetic Fiber Developments in Germany", prepared by the Synthetic Fibers Team of the Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee and compiled and edited by Leroy H. Smith, has been pub lished by the Textile Research Institute, 10 East 40th St., New York 16, Ν. Υ. The volume contains a comprehensive re porting of German technological research in synthetic fibers. Photographs of ma chinery, sketches and drawings of plant C H E M I C A L
layouts, new testing devices, photomicro graphs of animalized fibers, and numerous charts are included. A limited edition is being printed. 1,050 pages in length, each copy costs $10.
Export
Guide
The 1946 edition of the "Market Guide for Latin America" is distributed by the American Foreign Credit Underwriters Corp., 170 Broadway, New York. . This twrenty-fifth revised edition of the guide lists more than 75,000 buyers and agents, in South and Central America, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the West Indies. Each listing shows firm name and trade style, street and postal address, line of* ' business (products handled), together with a capital and credit rating indicating the relative size and "performance record' ' of the subject firm. The separate trade list section lists leading industries, trans port services, utilities, chambers of com merce and trade associations, and others. General information pages contain ex tensive data needed in export marketing and credit work. The Market Guide is available from publisher on subscription basis with monthly supplements and auxiliary services wrhich keep the contents revised.
Alcohol in ' Australian
Industry
The Council for Scientific and Indus-£, trial Research of the Commonwealth off Australia has published a 51-page bulled $ tin on "Alcohol: Its Place in Organic ; Chemical Industry" b y H. H. Hatt. Chapter headings include "Alcohol and . the Australian Chemical Industry", "Chemicals Derived from Alcohol and Required in Quantity in Australia", and "Comparison of Alcohol with Alterna tive Starting Materials for the Organic Chemical Industries". Bulletin No. 187 is available from the council a t Lorimer St., Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne, Vic toria, Australia.
Tin
Research
Work of the Tin Research Institute of the International Tin Research and De velopment Council, representing tin pro ducers in the Belgian Congo, Bolivia, Malaya, the Netherlands East Indies, and Nigeria, has been summarized for 1942-44 in a 32-page pamphlet. In addi tion to a description of the organization and its facilities, work writh tinplate, thin tin coatings, tin-zinc alloy coatings, electro-tinning, Speculum plating, hottinning mild steel and cast iron, bronze, bearings, and solder is discussed with help of photographs. The address of the in stitute is Fraser Road, Greenford, Middle sex, England. AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
