Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 149 



lution is perfectly clear; the same solution takes place in ammonia; 

 and it is surprising to observe how much of this earth the ammonia 

 is capable of uniting with : the evolution of hydrogen is similar to 

 that with potash. When aluminum is heated to dull redness, and 

 exposed to a current of chlorine, it inflames and is converted into 

 chloride, which sublimes as fast as it is formed. — Ibid. 



CHLORIDE AND OTHER COMPOUNDS OF ALUMINUM. 



M. Woehler obtains chloride of aluminum, for the purpose of 

 procuring the metal from it, by the following process : alumina pre- 

 cipitated by excess of carbonate of potash, was well washed and 

 dried, and then made into a thick paste with powdered charcoal, 

 sugar and oil ; this paste was then heated in a covered crucible until 

 all the organic matter was destroyed. By these means any sub- 

 stance is mixed very intimately with carbon : the product while it 

 was hot, was put into and made to. fill a porcelain tube, which was 

 placed in a furnace of an oblong form. One end of the tube was 

 connected with another tube containing fused chloride of calcium, 

 and this with an apparatus for the evolution of chlorine ; the other 

 end of the tube opened into a small tubulated receiver, provided 

 with a conducting tube. When the apparatus was full of chlorine, 

 the tube and its contents were made red-hot. The chloride of alu- 

 minum was readily formed ; a smal* portion was carried over with 

 oxide of carbon, which fumed strongly on coming into contact with 

 the air. The chlorine was long retained by the mass of matter. 

 The receiver contained chloride of aluminum in the state of pow- 

 der. After an hour and a half the chloride obstructed the end 

 of the tube (though an inch in diameter) which passed into the re- 

 ceiver ; this caused the stoppage of the process. 



On taking the apparatus to pieces, it was found that all that part 

 of the tube which passed through the furnace was filled with chlo- 

 ride of aluminum, and it weighed more than an ounce. It con- 

 sisted partly of an aggregation of long crystals, and partly of a 

 firm mass, which was readily detached from the tube, and was of a 

 pale yellowish-green colour, semitransparent, and of a lamellated and 

 distinctly crystalline texture ; but no crystal could be found suffi- 

 ciently regular to admit of its form being ascertained. When brought 

 into contact with the air, it fumed feebly, gave a smell of muriatic 

 acid, and soon became a transparent fluid. W T hen thrown into wa- 

 ter, it dissolved with strong hissing, accompanied with so much 

 heat, that the fluid, when the quantity is small, boils rapidly : ac- 

 cording to M. Oersted, the temperature is not much higher than 

 that of boiling water. Its fusing and vaporizing points seem to be 

 the same. Chloride of aluminum may be preserved without any 

 alteration in naptha ; when heated with this oil it liquefies, and sinks 

 to the bottom of the vessel, in the form of a reddish-brown liquid, 

 upon which potassium exerts no action. Chloride of boron may 

 be obtained by passing chlorine over calcined borax heated to red- 

 ness. 



Sulphuret of Aluminum, — When sulphur is suffered to drop upon 



aluminum 



