World-Wide Chemistry Paris C H A R L E S LORMAND, 4 a v e n u e d e l'Observatoire, Paris D I S T R I C T O F LAKDES S U F F E R S FROM CRITICAL CONDITION O F R E S I N INDUSTRY
Because of i t s very great specialization in resinous products, t h e district of Landes h a s been profoundly affected b y t h e crisis through which t h e resin industry is passing. On several occasions resin producers have asked t h e government for financial aid, a n d their plight has given rise t o t w o proposed legislative measures. T h e first of these laws provides for a s u b s i d y t o resin pro ducers a n d t o industries using resinous products. T h e funds for these subsidies would be derived from a t a x on white turpentine a n d from customs duties p a i d o n solid resin products a n d their derivatives. T h e proposal passed b y t h e C h a m b e r of Deputies allowed a subsidy of 3 0 million francs for t h e first year (1934), of which 5 million were to go t o industries. As amended b y t h e Senate, t h e subsidy w a s reduced to 12 million, a n d a t a x begin ning with t h e year 1939 was placed o n gum resin t o reimburse t h e government for its advances of funds. According t o the second law, white turpentine has been re stricted b y a quota n o t t o exceed 9000 tons for the 1934 t o t a l , including t h e a m o u n t produced b y French refineries. T h e sub sidies to resin producers will b e paid b y the communes. T h e new t a x on white turpentine, moreover, is merely a n extension of t h e new surtax on oil of t u r p e n t i n e . These legal measures, particularly t h e s y s t e m of subsidies to be repaid b y t h e producers i n five years, h a v e been t h e subject of severe criticism a n d active opposition. T h e opponents declare t h a t transportation r a t e s are detrimental t o their export t r a d e with Central Europe, where Spanish a n d Portuguese t u r p e n t i n e s offer great competition. Studies are under w a y t o determine methods of utilizing both solid a n d liquid resinous p r o d u c t s in France. According t o cer tain private experiments, i t might be possible t o a d d 5 per cent of t u r p e n t i n e oil to t h e n a t i o n a l fuel oil for combustion engines. On t h e basis of these results, t h e General Council of Landes has promised t h a t tests will b e m a d e in t h i s direction. T h e National D e p a r t m e n t of Fuels is said t o have bought stocks of turpentine. Exporting d r y products is very difficult. A t t e n t i o n is pri marily directed toward using t h e m i n surfacing highways, where their utilization, according t o certain experts, would avoid t h e slippery character of t h e majority of coatings n o w in use. FRANCE S E E S D A N G E R I N INCREASED JAPANESE EXPORTS O F ARTIFICIAL SILK
T h e president of t h e Lyons Chamber of Commerce has called a t t e n t i o n t o t h e large increase in exports of artificial silk from J a p a n . Because of t h e low wages paid t o Japanese m a n u a l laborers a n d t h e special working conditions in t h a t country, large exports are a source of danger to t h e French industry. Figures a r e cited to t h e effect t h a t Japanese production of arti ficial silk h a s risen from 350,000 k g . in 1923 t o 40,000,000 kg. in 1933.
culture. The amount of nitrate has been limited to 125,000 tons for the 1933-34 season, as against 200,000 tons for the pre ceding year. Anticipated consumption will be about 260,000 tons. The reduction has been effected by taking into account t h e considerably increased output of synthetic sodium nitrate and other nitrogen fertilizers produced by the French industry. From 101,744 tons in 1931-32, this production had risen to 125,000 tons in 1932-33, consisting of 77,600 tons of ammoniacal fertilizer, 19,500 tons of ammoniacal nitric fertilizer, 18,200 cons of nitric fertilizer, and 9,120 tons of cyanamide. N I N E COUNTRIES RENEW THE INTERNATIONAL NITROGEN AGREEMENT FOR ANOTHER FISCAL Y E A R
Delegates of the European nitrogen industry met in Paris on April 12. According to the agreement established in July, 1932, the status quo was unanimously accepted for the period commenc ing July 1, 1934, to June 30, 1935. This entente links nine European countries, but France is not one of the exporting coun tries most interested in the renewal of the agreement. CHEMICAL INDUSTRY BEGAN YEAR IN POSITION TO PROFIT FROM THE IMPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS
During the year 1933 the condition of the French chemical industry was better than in 1932 so far as tonnage was concerned but t h e improvement was not manifested in volume of business. From 12 to 15 billion francs are invested in this branch of in dustry, and this capital is almost exclusively of French origin. The effect of the depression of the last two years has not been too severely felt, but the constant increase in customs tariffs has forced producers to reduce their prices proportionately. Nevertheless, this is one of the rare industries which do n o t make constant appeals to the government or the banks for a s sistance. Production of sulfuric acid has been reduced because the crisis in agriculture has had repercussions upon superphosphates. Potash and soda have benefited from good progress made by t h e soap industry. The perfume industry indicates a decrease from its 1932 export figure, which dropped from 203 million francs to 186 million. American competition is keenly felt in leather tanning products, at least for certain products where the French industry is unable to maintain an active defense. By a system of dumping, foreign imports of copper sulfate have amounted to half the consump tion. The year 1933 witnessed the disappearance of stocks accumu lated since 1931, which had already started to decrease in 1932. All present consumption requirements are met directly by t h e manufacturer. This represents a good position for rapid r e covery. INVENTOR P L A N S TO DEMONSTRATE ENERGY DERIVED FROM VARIATIONS ΓΝ SEA TEMPERATURES
Georges Claude has made preparation for a large-scale demon stration of his process for utilizing the energy which can be pro duced by taking advantage of the differences in temperature b e tween the surface of the sea and its depths. He has just pre sented a complete plan for an apparatus which he hopes to install on board t h e mail boat La Tunisie, especially fitted for this purpose. The tests are to be performed in August in the bay of Rio de Janeiro. . June, 1933
T H E F I R S T SHIPMENT OF O R E I S R E C E I V E D FROM TIN" M I N E S O F T O G O
D u r i n g t h e first six m o n t h s of 1933, t h e t i n mines in t h e Banyo region of Togo have extracted 10 t o n s of a n ore containing ninet e n t h s cassiterite w i t h seven-tenths tin. T h i s is t h e first ore exported from this t e r r i t o r y . E X P E R T S M E E T IN R O M E T O STANDARDIZE I N T E R N A T I O N A L M E T H O D S O F W I N E ANALYSIS
Austria
A first meeting of experts, assembled to a d o p t uniform m e t h ods of analyzing wines in international trade, h a s just been held in Rome a t t h e N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e of Agriculture. Twelve countries were represented. M r . Donarche, director of t h e International Bureau of Wines, is said to h a v e presided.
J . POLLAK, Chemical L a b o r a t o r y , University of Vienna, V i e n n a DICAJB. Ν G A S I S F O R M E D B Y T H E D E C O M P O S I T I O N OF C A R B O N S U B O X I D E
N A P H T H A GUSHES FROM MOROCCO D R I L L REVEALING PRESENCE OF PETROLEUM DEPOSIT
D u r i n g t h e course of drilling operations i n Morocco, where a search for petroleum i s in progress, a jet of n a p h t h a with a r a t h e r strong r a t e of flow recently caught fire while gushing. T h e fire was controlled in a few d a y s a n d t h e oil diverted into reservoirs hastily d u g i n the ground. T h e delivery r a t e from t h e drill gives promise of rich deposits a n d a n i m p o r t a n t source of petro leum. U n d e r t h e direction of t h e N a t i o n a l B u r e a u of Liquid Fuels, extensive search is being m a d e in Madagascar t o discover p e t r o leum deposits. Certain indications lead t o a belief in t h e pres ence of petroleum in t h e subsoil of some regions of t h e island. IMPORT R E S T R I C T I O N S A R E M A D E P O S S I B L E BY I N C R E A S E D F R E N C H F E R T I L I Z E R P R O D U C T I O N
Licenses for importing nitrogen fertilizers h a v e been issued b y t h e licensing commission established in t h e Ministry of Agri-
I n his researches c o n t r i b u t i n g t o a n explanation of t h e revers ible oxidation-reduction p h e n o m e n o n whereby carbon passes t o c a r b o n dioxide b y w a y of carbon monoxide, which occupies t h e center of i n t e r e s t a t present, A. Klemenc, Vienna, h a s subjected c a r b o n suboxide to a closer physico-chemical investigation. H e a n d his co-workers, R , Wechsberg a n d G. Wagner, h a v e succeeded in producing very stable carbon suboxide. T h e s t u d y of t h e t h e r m a l decomposition of this gas i n t h e homogeneous gas p h a s e h a s a special interest. Under properly chosen conditions t h e decomposition proceeds a t 200° C . according t o t h e e q u a t i o n : C 3 0 2 = C 0 2 + C2 On account of t h e high r a t e of polymerization of C2 t o graphite on t h e glass wall, t h e reaction goes to completion from left t o r i g h t . T h e carbon gas (dicarbon) arising from t h i s decomposi t i o n could b e detected b y s t u d y i n g t h e absorption spectrum of t h e carbon suboxide gas present i n t h e decomposition m i x t u r e .
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The characteristic band of C2 is especially bright and was observed at 4737 A. in the Swan spectrum. Dicarbon is a carminered gas, which rapidly polymerizes to a purple-red solidocarbon, and it absorbs selectively in the neighborhood of 4600 A. The polymerization product is probably soluble in very dilute alkali; it is readily soluble in water, yielding a red solution which shows total absorption, beginning a t about 4700 A. At 200° C. the very reactive dicarbon gas is oxidized in oxygen to carbon monoxide, and possibly also to carbon dioxide. Furthermore, the equilibrium constant was calculated for t h e decomposition reaction of the suboxide leading t o the formation of dicarbon gas.
promise of taking the place of cotton yarn in importance. After a series of expansions i n the rayon industry, the supply now exceeds the domestic demand. Owing partly t o this fact, the exportation of rayon yarn h a s increased enormously since the beginning of this vear. Indications are that the 1934 total may double that of 1933. Japan does not produce crude rubber, but, because of the exportation of finished articles, the domestic requirements are almost entirely supplied. I n 1931 crude rubber imports exceeded exports of manufactured rubber articles by 4,000,000 yen, but the adverse balance was reduced to about 1,000,000 in 1932 and 1933. HEAVY ACETYLENE FORMED Vegetable oil, mint oil, camphor oil, fish oil, vegetable wax, and BY FREEZING HEAVY WATER are important items in Japan's export trade. Their comIn the course of investigations on heavy water, such as are also soap total, which, amounted t o 13,000,000 yen in 1931, increased in progress a t various places in Vienna, some interesting observa- bined to 19,000,000 in 1932, and t o 26,000,000 in 1933. tions have been made. Thus, A. Klemenc, O. Bankowksy, and In the liquid fuel section, however, not a drop of oil is exported. F. Patat, in order to prepare heavy acetylene, C^EL^, as well as Furthermore, unlike other industries, there is scarcely any posC2H2H, let heavy water of a certain deuterium content freeze on sibility of Japan's exporting petroleum products manufactured finely powdered calcium carbide in a vacuum. The heavy acety- from imported crude oil. T h e prices of these finished products lene formed as a result of melting was purified by repeated low- in the world market a r e low. Besides, t h e exportation of crude temperature sublimation. The acetylene thus obtained showed oil is restricted everywhere in the cause of national defense. a lower vapor pressure than ordinary acetylene. Work done Not only the petroleum, b u t also the coal industry shows a jointly with G. Herzberg, Darmstadt, shows that the bands ex- tendency t o enlarge i t s unfavorable trade balance, particularly hibit a somewhat different isotope displacement than2 was to be in recent years. In the fuel section this excess of imports expected. From the dipole moment found for C 2 H H and the amounted to 111 ,610,000 yen i n 1931 and increased to 140,778,000 known value of the same for C2H2 i t follows that the C = C dis- in 1933. tance has the value 1.20 Â. and the C—H distance a value of The exportation of pottery and ceramic wares has increased in 1.06 A. spite of severe tariff restrictions and import quotas abroad. The DEUTERIUM INTRODUCED total in 1931 amounted to 19,000,000 yen and increased to 35*000,INTO ENOLIZABLE KETONES 000 in 1933. Trade with t h e United States alone amounted to K. Schwarz and H. Steiner have shown that, just as ionizable 10,000,000 yen in 1933. hydrogen atoms of organic compounds a r e exchangeable with The advance made by glass manufactures (plate and wares, the deuterium of heavy water, so non-ionizable hydrogen atoms electric bulbs not included) i n Japan's foreign trade in recent bound directly to carbon also assume this property as soon as they years is remarkable. I n 1931 exports amounted to 6,500,000 yen are brought into an ionizable position. Accordingly, in acetone, and increased to 15,000,000 in 1933. The trade balance became CH3COCH3, all six hydrogen atoms are exchangeable for deute- favorable t o Japan last year, netting a surplus of 7,000,000 yen. rium by means of heavy sodium hydroxide; on the contrary, in Japan's cement industry h a s a capacity which enormously exdiethyl ketone, CH3CH2COCH2CH3, only four of the ten hydro- ceeds the actual domestic requirements. However, the export gen atoms exhibit this property. I n both cases the reaction must trade is inactive because the cost of production is not low enough proceed by way of the recurring keto-enol and enol-keto rear- to warrant shipments t o remote countries. rangements. The silicate industry during the past three years has invariably shown an excess of imports which rose from 24,828,000 yen in 1931 SCHWARZ H Y D R O L Y Z E S to 40,657,000 in 1933. ESTERS IN HEAVY WATER With the aid of a very minutely developed micromethod, K. Schwarz has been able to show that, contrary to observations made by other persons in connection with mutarotation, the Germany hydrolysis of methyl acetate catalyzed b y hydrogen ions in 90 per cent heavy water at 25° C. takes place a t a 50 per cent higher CARX WILEDB, Côthen-Anh. rate than in ordinary water. This agrees with the observations of BonhôfTer on the inversion of sugar. Translation by W. L. H I L L
Japan KEIITI SISIDO, Kawaramati Hirokôdi agaru, Kyoto JAPAN'S CHEMICAL INDUSTRY I S ACTIVE
Japan's trade expansion in recent years has created such a sensation all over the world that i t has given rise to the cry of "yellow trade peril. ,, A survey reveals, however, that the exportation of such staple products as raw silk, silk goods, cotton yarn, and cotton textiles, which have hitherto constituted the bulk of Japan's trade, has been quiet on the whole, but t h a t the export of sundry goods, which has heretofore occupied a less important position in Japan's foreign trade, has made remarkable progress. Chemical industry in Japan is being stimulated by a low exchange rate, tariff protection, and the increase in the manufacture of military provisions. The chemical industry is striving to reach a stage of self-sufficiency, and consequently the first effect has been felt in t h e curtailment of imports from foreign countries. The following table shows the value of the foreign chemical trade (in thousands of yen): EXPORTS
Rayon yarn, textiles Fertilizer, drugs Dyes, paint Paper, pulp Rubber manufactures Celluloid goods
1931 39,713 22,767 4,128 25,496 7,636 5,228
1932 60,449 31,569 6,017 19,236 11,874 6,364
1933 87,864 50,612 11,741 26,597 20,203 10,997
88,827 14,878 27,383 3,357
92,089 17,082 31,637 4,341
124,027 16,991 41,965 4,577
IMPORTS
Fertilizer, drugs Dyes, paint Paper, pulp Film
Most remarkable in this list is the increase in the exportation of rayon yarn and fabrics. Up t o 1929 a rayon yarn was not listed separately in the table of exported articles, but today it gives
REGULATION [REQUIRES THE ADDITION O P LARD TO MARGARINE
Some time ago a regulation was introduced in Germany compelling the addition of hog lard to margarine—first 5, later 10, and recently 12.5 per cent. Neutral lard from hog fat is admixed with margarine t o increase t h e price of swine. Lately, neutral lard has been produced in Germany by extracting pork with fat solvents until the residue is a s small as possible. Benzine, benzene and derivatives, such as xylene, etc., also carbon tetrachloride, tetrachloroethane, and other liquids have been used for this purpose. The crude fat is t h e n purified. The fat obtainable amounts to 50 per cent of t h e weight on foot. Extraction with benzine is not applicable t o t h e smaller operations; the latter use heat in a vacuum boiler (Hartmann process). According to Wolfgang Liitzow i n Deutschen Volkswiri, the economic prospects of the new process are good. Upon the basis of a yearly consumption of 360,000 tons of margarine, 3750 tons of neutral lard per month will be used. The nineteen extraction establishments can utilize their full capacity during the coming months, and the use of hog fat in the production of margarine will probably be nearly doubled. BERLIN EXHIBIT SHOWS INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS
The exhibit, Deutsches Volk—Deutsche Arbeit, held in Berlin the last of April was opened b y Minister Goebbels. Phenomena in abundance were represented and all by examples in actual performance. For this report t h e division Deutsche Arbeit has special interest. All industries supplied examples. Industrial operations—for example, the production of gas—were illustrated by man-high models of industrial plants. First, there were the final products, then t h e schematic production process, then the design or cross section, which stimulated curiosity. As an example of a pedagogical exhibit, attention should be called to the entry Technisches Schafïen, which showed, in the case of the automobile, what goes into the making of t h e final product—industrial materials, their form, welding technic, standardization, road construction, vibration research, elimination of noise and shaking, and electrotechnics. The exhibit also included agriculture, automobile roads, textiles and iron, t h e voluntary employment of labor, wood and paper, foods, stone and ore, etc.
July 20, 1934
INDUSTRUL
AND
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I. G. FAHBENLNDUSTRIE INCREASES DOMESTIC SALES
The largest German chemical concern, the I. G. Farbenindustrie, A.-G., in Frankfurt a/M, again paid a dividend of 7 per cent on its common stock and carried 2,079,000 marks forward to the new account. At the general meeting the company's position was described briefly as follows: Chemical point to a further slight increase in sales. Furthermore, a quioKening in sales of fertilizer nitrogen is beginning—a condition which has already been reached in foreign sales. The Gesellschaft, therefore, can increase considerably the production of its nitrogen plants and at the same time reduce the domestic stock during the main selling season. Benzine production has been further increased. It was begun systematically with the enlargement of buildings for the hydrogénation plant in Leuna. The pharmaceutical business has developed favorably in Germany, but exports have encountered difficulties. As far as Germany itself is concerned, artificial silk has good prospects. The picture of the chemical factories indicates a continuous quickening of sales a t home; however, the recurring difficulties in the sale of our products abroad must be mentioned with regret. STARCH INDUSTRY Is ORDERED TO FORM COMBINE
The starch industry was linked together by an order of the Minister of Food. The Kartoffelnstarke-Verkaufsgemeinschaft, the Vereinigung deutscher Glucose-Fabrikanten, the DextrinVerkaufsgemeinschaft, and the Rohstarke-Verband, G. m. b.H., together form the Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung deutscher Stârkeindustrien. This combination is endowed with far-reaching power. Managements which did not heed previous alliances and produce in one of the fields of the starch industry are compelled to withdraw from that field. This organization has to pass upon the new direction and the refashioning of still operations, the correct methods for reckoning prices, balancing production and consumption, etc. SOME INTERESTING PAPERS ARE REPORTED
At the congress of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Mineralolforschung in the Berlin technical Hochschule several interesting papers were presented. Engineer Obenaus spoke on the "Thermal Splitting of Cracked Gas with Special Consideration of the Formation of Unsaturated Hydrocarbons." The highly reactive unsaturated hydrocarbons play a very important part as starting materials in the newer synthetic chemistry. In the production of such unsaturated compounds, dry cracked gas from the Dubbs plant in Hannover, admixed with varying quantities of hydrogen or nitrogen, is thermally cracked under a pressure of 0.1 atmosphere and at temperatures ranging from 800° to 1300° C. The yield of unsaturated compounds is enhanced by increasing the temperature and shortening the reaction time, as well as by a uniform flow of gas without the formation of whirls, for under these conditions Tthe catalytic decomposition into carbon and hydrogen on the w all of the container is repressed. Quantities of unsaturated compounds of approximately 7.5 per cent of. the initial volume can be increased to 25.4 per cent. These compounds are mostly ethylene and acetylene. Among the other papers were: "The Hydrogen Motor," by Wendt of Rosenberg; "Experience with Resin Separation in Power-Fuel Operations," by Weller; "Nature of the Acids Obtained from BrownCoal T a r " by von Braun and Jostes; "Resins from .Brown Coal" by W. Munch. EXPORTATION OF COAL-TAJR DYES Is MAINTAINED ABOVE THE AVERAGE
German exportation of coal-tar dyes and intermediates during the past year has been maintained well above the average. Since German exportation of coal-tar dyes is concerned with considerable deliveries to practically every consuming country, the loss of sales in one country has frequently been offset by increased business in others. Even in the recent critical years, Germany shared in the world exports of coal-tar dyes to the extent of 55 to 60 per cent. In no other chemical group did the German share in world exportation even approach this figure—heavy chemicals about 25 per cent, pharmaceutical products approximately 35 per cent. Exports to Europe have increased in late years from 54 to 56 per cent. Countries of western Europe have been the best buyers of German dyestuffs. Aside from the thickly populated Asiatic countries, the most important sales field is overseasAfrica and Australia take only very small quantities. Exports of aniline dyes have declined 13 per cent in quantity and 3 per cent in value. One may conclude from these figures that the transition to the most concentrated dyestuffs possible has made further progress. The same is also true of aHzarin dyes. The demand for indigo, after the marked recession in previous years, has again recovered to some extent. Exportation has increased 24 per cent in quantity and 18 per cent in value. ACHEMA VII DISPLAYS GREAT VARIETY OF CHEMICAL EQUIPMENT
The Achema VII, great exhibition of chemical equipment, was held in Cologne on the Rhine May 18 to 27. The greatest variety of equipment was exhibited on about 20,000 sq. m. of floor space
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in three halls. At the opening session on May 18 Professor Duden, of the Verein deutscher Chemiker, termed the Achema the "fulfilment and expression of the cooperative work of chemists, physicists, and engineers." In the festival hall, golden crowns, bearing the names of the great German chemists, Baeyer, Bunsen, Fischer, Liebig, and Wohler, hung on a blue background. Doctor Bretschneider called to memory the founder of the Achema, Max Buchner, who died April 10, 1934. Details of this vast exhibit cannot be communicated here. All in all, it showed what in the way of equipment, machines, and instruments is necessary as tools for chemists and technicians in the laboratory or in operations outside. Moreover, it was gratifying that many foreign visitors attended the exhibition. AUFSCHLAGER D I E S IN HAMBURG
Privy Councilor Gustav Aufschlâger died in Hamburg the middle of April at the age of 81. At 30 he established a factory for explosives in Muldenhutten near Freiberg in Saxony, In 1889 he was called as head of the directing board of Dynamit,. A.-G., formerly Alfred Nobel. At the beginning of this undertaking he was 37. His organization of Germany's war economy and the difficult problem of remolding the German explosive industry after the war, which was happily solved, made a reputation for him. Aufschlàger's work in the manufacture of technical nitrocellulose facilitated this change in an unusual way. His principal scientific work has greater social importance. Thus, the manufacture of weather-proof explosives for mining depends upon it. Accidents caused by explosions have thereby been greatly reduced. HONORS ARE CONFERRED UPON CHEMICAL INVESTIGATORS
At the forty-seventh congress of the Verein deutscher Chemiker, which was held in connection with the Achema in Cologne, honors were conferred upon the following chemical investigators: General Director Wilhelm Feit, Berlin, received honorary membership; Ferdinand Flury, Wurzburg, was awarded the Liebig medal; Richard Kulin, Heidelberg, received the Adolph Baeyer medal, and Hans Mauss and Fritz Mietsch, both in Eberffcld, were given the Emil Fischer medal for their work in the field of synthetic malaria remedies. Translation by W. L. HILL
May 24, 1934
Czechoslovakia L. A. HELWICH, Prague XII, Vocelova 3 IONIUM SALTS USED AS EMULSIFIERS IN PAINTS
Special colloidal properties, which assist in retaining the particles of the pigment longer in homogeneous suspension and increase the anticorrosion resistance of the paint, may be given to the varnish, according to the patent of V. Donat (application 2785-33). The pure Unseed oil varnish with drier, containing no resins, is mixed with a maximum of 4 to 5 per cent of beeswax. The mixture is then boiled down with 5 per cent of the activator, consisting of the so-called soda precipitate—i. e., waste material from radium manufacture—containing 5 milligrams of ionium in one kilogram, and filtered. The paints are in industrial use·. HIGH-SPEED STEEL IMPROVES THREAD-CUTTING OPERATION
The firm Strejc & Nosek, in Prague, has tested a special highspeed alloy steel as material for thread-cutting knives. The steel has a tensile strength of approximately 70 kg./sq. mm., has high carbon and very high tungsten and vanadium content, and undergoes a special heat treatment. After long experience this treatment has been found to insure a remarkable degree of stability of the knife edge, especially at high velocities of the c u t over 75 meters per minute—and to cause notable improvements in the mechanical operation itself. A special chucking device has been designed and patented which utilizes the advantages of such knives, making the operation as much as five times more efficient than practices heretofore in use and allowing a reliable precision of the cut up to 0.01 mm. The knives and the chucking device are in current use and are also exported. WOOD GAS I s BEING USED TO DRIVE TRUCKS
At the recent Agricultural Exposition in Prague, considerable interest was aroused by an exhibition of a truck with a wood-gas generator, a product of Vitkovicke Horni a Hutni Tezirstvo. This company has started the manufacture of these wood-gas generators which may be applied to all internal combustion engines, such as those used in trucks, busses, tractors, street cars,' motor boats, compressors, as well as to stable driving motors used in farming. The generators are of a special design developed by the company and are claimed to replace one liter of gasoline by 200 grams of wood or to consume 800 grams of wood for one
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horsepower hour, or 200 grams of wood for one ton of service load and one kilometer. The motor starts on wood gas without a n y auxiliary gasoline. P R O G R E S S I S M A D E ΓΝ M A N U F A C T U R E OF T U N G S T E N W I R E FOR L I G H T I N G B U L B S
The Osram Co. in Prague applied a process for t h e manufacture of recrystallized tungsten wire. T h e wire, having a chemical composition enabling its transformation in one long crystal of t h e metal a t white heat, is continually drawn over a zone of above 2000° C . by a velocity exceeding that of t h e crystal growth. Through this operation t h e wire is continually transformed into one long crystal. CHEMICAL TREATMENT O F FLOUR A R O U S E S THE PUBLIC
I n view of several pathological cases which have been experi enced lately, especially with t h e bakery personnel (eczemas, itches) i n places where chemically bleached flour h a s been used, the question of chemical t r e a t m e n t of flour has been studied h y official organs and research institutions. T h e trouble is gener ally attributed t o the presence of larger amounts of bromides in the flour than t h e prescribed limit. The government decree of 1932 permits t h e application of bromates as bleaching agents, b u t it is now generally accepted t h a t during t h e fermenting and b a k ing operations these bromates t e n d t o reduction i n t o bromides. Since t h e prescribed limit for t h e bromate (0.005 per cent) cannot always b e insured because of inaccuracies in mixing operations, the a m o u n t of bromide present in t h e flour m a y f a r exceed t h i s limit. Recently this matter h a s been vigorously discussed b y chemists, as well as by the press, and public opinion calls for com plete prohibition of chemicals in the treatment of flour. T w o P A T E N T S ISSUED ON C A R B O N DISULFIDE
H . J . Skaller, Prague, h a s patented a process for the prepara tion of solid carbon disulfide compounds t o be employed as fumigants against insect parasites. According t o the process, some fatty acid—for example, stearic acid—is dissolved in carbon disulfide a n d saponified b y the corresponding quantity of alco holic sodium hydroxide (application 3755-33). T h e B a t a a.s. in Zlin applied a process for the preparation of mercaptobenzothiazole from aniline sulfide and carbon disulfide, which is performed by heating t h e two compounds u n d e r pressure at 250° t o 280° C. The sulfur dioxide generated i s absorbed b y sodium hydroxide with a n addition of zinc oxide (application 1098-33). PRODUCTION OF IKON AND S T E E L INCREASES
According t o the statistics of t h e State's Statistical Bureau, there is a further notable increase in the iron a n d steel o u t p u t . The production of raw steel in M a y approximated 100,000 t o n s and r a w pig iron 57,000 t o n s . Production of both in t h e last three months showed a decided improvement over that of the l a s t two years. CZECHOSLOVAKIA HAS 266 M ESTES I N OPERATION-
According to a statistical review of the mining i n d u s t r y issued by t h e Ministry of Public Works, there were 266 mines in opera tion in 1933, 77 of Avhich mined coal, 133 lignite (brown coal), 43 ores, a n d 13 miscellaneous minerals. The coal mines employed 46,249 people; brown coal, 29,952; ores, 7,546; a n d t h e rest, 1,878. T h e mined products of importance besides coal and iron ore were copper, salt, oil, graphite, uranium, antimony, silver. T E C H N I C I A N S U N I T E TO SOLVE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
Twelve technical organizations, with a total membership of 25,000 which includes all technical branches, united to form a n all-technical economic council. I t will function a s an advisory organ i n solving the country's economic a n d engineering p r o b lems a n d in applying t h e results of technical progress. T h e Czechoslovak Chemical Society also participates, a n d one of t h e vice presidents of the council, Professor Milbauer, is a leading Czech chemist. C H E M I C A L INDUSTRYH A S B E T T E R OUTLOOK
At t h e recent meeting of the Association of Chemical Industries, the situation was considered w i t h more optimism than a t a n y time in t h e past year. I t was pointed out t h a t t h e lowest point of t h e economic crisis is over, a n d t h a t there are already signs of general improvement, which, however, a s in other industrial branches in Czechoslovakia, do not correspond w i t h the marked economic upward trend of the rest of Europe. Export trade is still considered the focal point, b u t it is understood t h a t t h i s question cannot be solved uniformly. Each individual branch re quires special attention. The currency devaluation did not bring the anticipated results. Another important point t o be cleared is t h e understanding between industry a n d agriculture. T h e normal economic relations with Russia since her recognition a r e hoped materially to assist the export trade. The sales of a series of i m p o r t a n t chemicals suffered a further drop which, however, is not so significant in comparison with last year. Prices also h a d
Vol, 12 f N o . 14
to be cut, in view of the low purchasing power of consumers. T h e situation is b y no means stabilized. Structural changes are n o table. T h e loss of markets o n certain products h a d t o be b a l anced by new products, which have proved successful in t h e inorganic branches. As t o the export trade, however, only d y e stuffs, some organic intermediates, a n d some newly introduced chemicals h a v e found a n improvement in trade. T h e export difficulties are experienced, not only with t h e original m a r k e t s — the Balkan, Successor States, Poland, etc., which all build u p their own industries—but also within the Little E n t e n t e itself. Only some special high-quality products, especially organic, which the industry is developing offer certain possibilities. E x ports to other European countries and overseas face s t r o n g com petition. T h e increased agricultural activity in t h e spring is seen in 2 5 per cent higher fertilizer consumption (superphosphates, nitrogen fertilizers) a s compared with 1933. I t is, however, still below the normal level. N o t e d improvement is seen in t h e papermaking industry, textile (especially rayon) industry, glass i n dustry, oil refineries, and in gasoline consumption. In the artificial fats (margarine) industry the situation is u n settled on account of the recent government decree prescribing a total annual production quota—500,000 tons—which is t o be dis tributed among approximately 30 manufacturers, w h o are r r quired to be licensed. 4 0 - H O U R W O R K I N G W E E K TO B E INTRODUCED T E N T A T I V E L Y
T h e government has adopted the principle of a 40-hour work ing week instead of a 48-hour week, which should be t e n t a t i v e l y put into effect b y July 15 and continue u n t i l t h e end of April, 1935. The change should be made individually i n every indus trial branch with the m u t u a l understanding of manufacturers' a n d workmen's organizations a s to wages a n d working conditions. I t is anticipated t h a t some 30,000 more men will b e employed i n July. J u n e 26, 1934 RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF J A P A N ' S CHEMICAL INDUSTRY T H E J A P A N E S E C H E M I C A L I N D U S T R Y has developed t o such a n
extent in t h e past two years t h a t it h a s not only a t t a i n e d a domi n a n t position in t h e home market b u t it h a s been able t o pene t r a t e into Asiatic m a r k e t s which the European chemical cartels have more or less considered t o be their exclusive sales territory. Because of t h e Japanese competition, especially evident i n the past year, European cartels have deemed it advisable to e n deavor t o m a k e working agreements with Japanese producers, and representatives h a v e visited J a p a n for t h a t purpose. All of t h e proposals advanced by these representatives h a v e con tained provisions for the restrictions of Japanese exports of cer tain chemicals. Among t h e items which have been the subject of proposals b y European representatives to Japanese chemical interests during the past few m o n t h s are ammonium sulfate, sodium dichromate, potassium chlorate, potassium dichromate, a n d m a t c h e s . SULFUR EXPORTS CONTINUE TO R I S E UNITED STATES exports of sulfur continue to register increases during the current year, according t o the D e p a r t m e n t of C o m merce. Production a n d exports of sulfur reached t h e lowest point in years during 1932 but recovered sharply i n 1933. During the first five m o n t h s of 1934, exports of crude sulfur from t h e United S t a t e s totaled 192,129 tons, valued a t $3,575,200, compared w i t h 136,512 tons, valued at $2,601,200, i n 1933, a value increase of 37 p e r cent. Refined sulfur exports during these periods increased from 2966 to 4164 t o n s a n d in value from $109,160 t o $165,170. While sulfur is mined i n m a n y countries, the U n i t e d States is the largest single producer and supplies more t h a n half t h e world's requirements of this important mineral, which i s usually char acterized a s being basic t o industry generally. OUTLOOK BRIGHT FOR PAINT AND VARNISH INDUSTRY W I T H DOMESTIC SALES increasing steadily and export demand brisk, the outlook for the paint and varnish industry is decidedly encouraging. Sales reported b y 586 establishments for t h e first four m o n t h s of the year totaled $89,321,000, compared w i t h $55,563,000 for t h e first four months of 1933, when sales touched the lowest level for some time. While industrial sales accounted for a considerable p a r t of this increased business, t h e major portion was d u e t o customer purchases. " P a i n t - u p " and "clean-up" campaigns have u n doubtedly played a n important part i n this increased business.
