October 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



19 



that lie can secure the same results from a mineral rubber which 

 will easily begin to decompose at approximately 200° Fahr., and 

 which, owing to its soft and pliable nature will absorb a great 

 amount of so-called dry fillers, that he can secure by using a 

 mineral rubber that will not decompose at any temperature at 

 which he vulcanizes, and which will not absorb a great amount 

 <if dry fillers, owing to its own density, would be as great folly as 

 it is to say he can take a piece of acraflake rubber and produce 

 an equally satisfactory result in all cases as he can with Up-river 

 Para. 



There is a place in rubber compounding for all grades of 

 mineral rubbers. There is a wide difference in the qualities of 

 the different mineral rubbers, and it is as important to know 

 what these different qualities represent as to know any other 

 branch of compounding. 



Mineral rubbers have qualities that no other ingredients which 

 rubber manufacturers use contain. They are impervious to mois- 

 ture, more impervious to the action of acids and alkalis, and 

 most of them have a very definite di-electric strength, and a 

 longer life than any other ingredient excepting some of the dry 

 tillers that enter into rubber compounds. 



Rubber manufacturers can well afford to investigate these; 

 they are a new article in commercial use for the present age, 

 although history shows they were in use four thousand years 

 ago, and they are in good condition at the present time. 



Properly applied they will give life to a rubber compound and 

 at the same time in almost every instance will give a reduced 

 cost, on equal quality basis. Lowell F. Lixdley. 



NEW SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD RUBBER. 



I N fulfilment of its mission, the Philadelphia Commercial 

 *■ Museum has for some time been investigating the merits 

 of a new substitute for hard rubber, discovered by a Philadel- 

 phian. The discoverer claims that he can take any waste fibrous 

 substance, and convert it into a substitute equal, and in many cases 

 superior, to hard rubber itself. 



Although its properties have apparently only recently been 

 noticed in the general press, it seems to have been undergoing, 

 during the last two years, a series of detailed tests by well- 

 known professors and engineers, both privately and at the Mu- 

 seum itself. 



The earliest of these tests seems to have been that made at 

 the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, October 19, 1910, with 

 a view of showing the breaking down or puncturing voltage of 

 the new fiber in comparison with other insulating materials. 

 According to the report of Mr. G. R. Henderson, consulting 

 engineer of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, who had attended 

 the tests, they indicated that the puncturing voltage of the new 

 fiber, with a thickness of .162 inch, was 45,000; as compared 

 with records for hard rubber of 40,000 for .127 inch, and of 

 50,000 for .200 inch. The results with thinner samples were for 

 the new fiber 20,000 with a thickness of .073 inch, as compared 

 with 25,000 for hard rubber, with a thickness of .065. These 

 tests are quoted as indicating that the new fiber is nearly, if not 

 fully, equal to the best hard rubber. Tests of new material 

 showed that it combines the mechanical properties of red fiber, 

 with the electrical properties of hard rubber 



In a report on special tests of samples of the new insulating 

 material, Professor Worrall E. S. Temple of the LTniversity of 

 Pennsylvania, stated on November 1. 1910. that it completely 

 outdistanced fiber, as well as the ordinary grades of rubber. 

 Technically it showed up superior in toughness to rubber ; with- 

 standing, moreover, acid and boiling tests far better than the fiber 

 samples tested, and being comparatively simple to mold. Sub- 

 sequent tests made later in the month confirmed the above esti- 

 mate of the new material. 



Mr. Ernest L. Rowe, a well-known electrical engineer of Phil- 

 adelphia, reported on December 12, 1910, that from the excep- 



tional insulating qualities of the new material, he considered it 

 superior to cither porcelain, ordinary fiber, or hard rubber; 

 adding that, in his opinion, the demand for it would supersede 

 the present demand for hard rubber and fiber. 



The next step was the circulation in March, 1911, of a state- 

 ment accompanied by the above-named reports, to several hun- 

 dred corporations, inviting them to attend a public test in April, 

 1911. This invitation was officially issued by the Commercial 

 Museum, in whose hands had been placed the presentation of 

 the new substance. In addition to these public tests, there 

 were in 1911 a number of the most severe acid tests for storage 

 battery purposes, with the most gratifying results. 



Finally, in December, 1911, a further test was made at the 

 Philadelphia Commercial Museum, before a score of experts, 

 including those already named. The test was surrounded by 

 secrecy and did not reach the press for some months ; the result 

 being, however, arrived at, that the production of a successful 

 imitation of hard rubber was possible. 



W hile the new material was thus being tested experimentally,. 

 its commercial possibilities were also being studied by the" 

 Museum. A special despatch from Austin, Texas, to the Bostov 

 Transcript, in February, 1912, reported that the new substitute 

 would be obtained from green cotton-bolls, which are now 

 worthless, but would thus acquire a value of 3 to 4 cents per 

 pound. It had been pointed out by Dr. W. P. Wilson. Director 

 of the Philadelphia Museum, that it had long been known that 

 these unripe bolls (representing about 15 per cent, of the total) 

 contain a sticky substance, akin to rubber; generally supposed, 

 however, to have no commercial value. 



Little machinery is required to produce the new material. 

 It is claimed that all that is needed to supply America, and, 

 in fact, the world, with hard rubber products, is to establish 

 a few central plants in the cotton fields of the South. Before 

 a group of the most prominent electricians, the inventor is said 

 to have made his product from old waste materials, within 

 twenty minutes ; with no other mechanical aid than a cheap 

 hand-press. 



It is understood that the new material, as yet unnamed, is 

 not yet being manufactured for this market. Large concerns 

 are said, however, to have tried it. The progress, of the new 

 discovery will be watched with interest by the rubber industry. 

 The British Consul at Philadelphia has forwarded details of 

 ihe tests to the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the English 

 Board of Trade; the facts being thus disseminated through the 

 British and Colonial press. 



The India Rubber World has known for some time regard- 

 ing this new rubber substitute, the claims made for it. and its 

 endorsement by a number of expert engineers and chemists, 

 but has refrained from making any mention of it, in the hope 

 that further and larger samples might be forthcoming which 

 might be put to some practical manufacturing test. L'p to the 

 present time, however, as far as can be ascertained, this new 

 substitute has not been made in sufficient quantities to enable 

 any manufacturer to put it to practical use. The information 

 regarding it as detailed above, is given for the benefit of those 

 who are interested in the general subject of rubber substitutes. 



MALAYAN COMPANIES' HETUHNS. 



The returns of six leading Malayan companies for the eight 

 months ended ."Kiieust 31. compare very favorably with those 

 for the corresponding period of last year. Exact figures are: 

 Eight months to August 31 1911. 1912. 



pounds. pounds. 



Anglo Malay 461.966 516,760 



Pataling 196.230 281.118 



London Asiatic 188.294 406,309 



Golden Hope 162.488 85,760 



Sclaba 115.104 196,676 



Bikam 54.906 97,630 



Total 1,078,988 1,584,253 



