68 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November- 1, 1914. 



THE USE OF SODIUM BISULPHIDE IN COAGULATION OF 

 LATEX. 



Dr. H. P. Stevens stated at the International Congress 

 of Tropical Agriculture, that sodium bi-sulphide was used 

 to make pale crepe plantation rubber, as this was preferred 

 by many users. Only what might be called a trace of this 

 compound was added to the latex before coagulation and 

 this was quite a different thing than adding large quanti- 

 ties to crude rubber which had been proposed elsewhere. 

 To prove whether this addition was deleterious or not a 

 sample of plantation was prepared with the addition of a 

 small quantity of the sodium bi-sulphide to the latex and 

 another was prepared without the same addition. 



Both these samples were sent to a cable manufacturing 

 company for trial and the test showed that the sample con- 

 taining the bi-sulphide was if anything better than that 

 prepared without it. To confirm this another set of sam- 

 ples was compared and a like result was obtained. There- 

 fore it was concluded that the addition of sodium bi-sul- 

 phide was beneficial rather than otherwise in the coagula- 

 tion of latex. 



ISOLATION OF THE INSOLUBLE CONSTITUENTS OF 

 CAOUTCHOUC. 



Bernstein in the "Kolloid Zeitung," Vol. 15. page 49, 

 comments on the work of Spence and Kratz which we 

 reported in the October issue of this publication. 



He states that the method they used is not novel in so 

 far as it depends on the reduction of the viscosity of a 

 rubber solution to enable one to separate the insolubles 

 from the rubber. Diminution of viscosity may be produced 

 by other means than that used by Messrs. Spence and 

 Kratz. For example this may be accomplished by the use 

 of acids, and sulphuric acid has been used for the estima- 

 tion of caoutchouc in crude rubbers. Compare Marquis 

 and Heim, A. 1913, page 884. 



ASBESTOS PACKINGS. 



Experience has lately shown that inquiries for asbestos 

 stuffing-box packings have been at such low prices as to pre- 

 clude the delivery of reliable articles, even where the percentage 

 of cotton was a minimum one. Investigation disclosed the fact 

 that the asbestos filling was in many cases heavily loaded with 

 weighting substances, in order to reduce the cost. Asbestos 

 is not of itself an expensive product, but, according to German 

 experts, there are fillers 70 per cent, cheaper than asbestos and 

 even still cheaper. 



The question, however, has arisen of the effect of this packing 

 on the piston rod, in producing heating, with the result that the 

 machine is put out of operation until repaired. Such bad pack- 

 ings may cause a permanent injury to the reputation of factories, 

 thus opening the way to competing products. 



With a view to eliminating this difficulty, it has been sug- 

 gested in Germany that manufacturers and dealers should com- 

 bine in producing a quality of packing with a guaranteed per- 

 centage of cotton yarn and a good quality of asbestos. Such a 

 quality corresponds with that delivered to railways by large fac- 

 tories. Hence it has been suggested to call this article the 

 "Railway" quality, by which a distinctive grade would be indi- 

 cated, the delivery of an adulterated quality being made a pun- 

 ishable offense. 



Asbestos packings are sometimes delivered "Double Spun," 

 but this is only found necessary with railway packings over 17 

 m.m. (067-inch) in diameter. For packings of smaller diameter, 

 "Single Spun" is found sufficient for both railways and other 

 consumer?. 



THE CONSUMPTION OF ANTIMONY. 



In 1913 the United States consumed 12,755 tons of metallic 

 antimony with a value of $1,828,967. Of this amount there 

 wa? 1,000 tons of oxides and salts valued at $117,000. 



ENGLAND SHIPPING CHEMICALS. 



The restrictions which the British government placed on the 

 export of chemicals at the outbreak of the war have been removed 

 to some extent, and firms in the Manchester district are now in 

 a position to fill reasonable orders for such supplies. The list 

 of obtainable chemicals includes the following of interest to- 

 rubber manufacturers : Acetone ; antimony salts, 45 and 75 per 

 cent. ; barytes, sulphate of all qualities, free from lime and suit- 

 able for all purposes; carbonate of magnesia; lithopones; tetra- 

 chloride of carbon ; zinc, sulphate of ; zinc oxide ; chloride of 

 barium ; glycerine ; rosin, and wax. 



OZOKERITE IN UTAH. 



According to a report of the United States Geological Sur- 

 vey, which has been making an investigation of the possibilities 

 of this country in the way of producing articles hitherto ob- 

 tained from Europe, ozokerite, or natural mineral wax, occurs 

 in considerable quantity in Utah. The market for this product 

 being largely in the Eastern States, the cost of production and 

 transportation to such points has made it impossible to compete 

 with the imported product, which came from Galicia. It is pos- 

 sible now, however, that interest may be taken in the develop- 

 ment of the industry in this country. 



RUBBER NOW ON THE CONTRABAND LIST.. 



A British decree proclaimed on September 21 places several 

 additional items, including rubber, on the list of objects and 

 materials held as conditional contraband by that country. 

 Under dates of September 8 and 25 additions were also made 

 to the list of articles of which export has been prohibited. 

 Aeroplanes, airships and balloons of all kinds and their 

 component parts are prohibited export to any destination 

 whatever; while india rubber sheet, vulcanized, and rubber, 

 raw, are prohibited exportation to certain countries, namely, 

 to all foreign ports in Europe and on the Mediterranean and 

 Black Seas, with the exception of those of France, Belgium, 

 Russia (except the Baltic ports), Spain and Portugal. Late in 

 October crude rubber became unconditionally contraband, ship- 

 ment from any English port being prohibited. 



On October 3 the French Government declared crude rub- 

 ber and automobile tires contraband, the order covering 

 "leather, pneumatic and other automobile tires and the raw 

 products from which they are manufactured." This order 

 has evidently been somewhat modified, however, and permis- 

 sion granted for the export of certain rubber products as, 

 for instance, all tires made by the Gaulois company at Cler- 

 mont-Ferrand, France, except solid tires, which are being 

 turned out for the government at the rate of 400 a day. Ex- 

 port of Gaulois tires to the New York branch of this company 

 is said to have been resumed. 



The Russian Government has also prohibited the export 

 of rubber and rubber tires, but this government is prepared 

 to authorize, without any formality, the exportation of such 

 prohibited goods as may not be required in Russia, in British 

 or Allied vessels, if the port of destination is a British or 

 Allied port. If the destination be a neutral port, permission 

 will be granted only if the Embassy or Legation of the neutral 

 country in which the port in question is situated certifies in 

 agreement with the Embassy or Legation of the Allied coun- 

 try under whose flag the vessel sails that such prohibited 

 goods will be unloaded in a neutral country and will not be 

 re-exported to the country of an enemy. 



The list of articles which Germany and Austria propose to 

 treat as conditional contraband was made public on Septem- 

 ber 18 and includes, in addition to crude rubber, waste and sub- 

 stitutes, balloons and flying machines and their distinctive com- 

 ponent parts and accessories intended for use in connection 

 therewith. 



