136 



CHEMISTRY. (NEW PROCESSES) 



containing a little phenol. Titanium phenylate, 

 Ti(C 6 H 6 0) 4 , is obtained in the form of rhombo- 

 hedral crystals of the color of bichromate of 

 potash, which yield on pulverization a powder 

 still more yellow. The analogous compounds with 

 the cresol phenols, thymol, naphthol, resorcinal 

 and salicylic acid, have also been prepared. 

 They are all red or brownish-red substances pos- 

 sessing properties similar to those of titanium 

 phenylate. 



New Processes. Previous to the appearance 

 of M. Moissan's paper on carbide of silicon, Dr. 

 Miihlhauser, of Chicago, had made a series of 

 experiments on the preparation of the com- 

 pound on a large scale, for the purpose of its 

 manufacture. His process consists in heating a 

 mixture of silica or silicate of alumina and car- 

 bon by means of the electric furnace to the tem- 

 perature of 3,500 C. The crystals obtained 

 possess many of the properties, particularly the 

 hardness of the diamond. According to the 

 materials employed in manufacture they are 

 colorless, or colored yellowish green, bluish 

 green, or pale blue. The name carborundum is 

 suggested for the substance. Upon the large 

 scale the cheaper materials sand and coke are 

 employed, with the addition of common salt as 

 a flux. The product of the reaction, which is 

 distinguished by some remarkable features, is an 

 ellipsoidal hardened mass, surrounding the car- 

 bon high resistance, which is found, on making 

 a section, to consist of six distinct layers. The 

 first, close against the carbon high resistance 

 bar, is a zone of graphite, in hollowed hexagonal 

 plates, pseudo-morphs of silicon carbide, from 

 which they are produced by dissociation at the 

 extremely high temperature of the bar, silicon 

 escaping as vapor. The second and largest zone 

 consists of the crystals of silicon carbide, in 

 elongated aggregates, radiating in all directions 

 from the axis of the ellipsoid, the individual crys- 

 tals being bluish or yellowish green, and of va- 

 rious sizes up to a centimetre in diameter. Sur- 

 rounding this zone of crystals is a narrow zone of 

 amorphous carbide of silicon, outside of which 

 is a layer of nodules of minerals produced from 

 the impurities during the reaction. The fifth 

 layer consists of the remains of uncombined 

 mixture ; and the sixth is the crust of common 

 salt. The crystals 'obtained by employing sili- 

 cate of alumina are usually colorless or pale 

 blue, and have been used by'M. Nikola Tesla in 

 his new lamp for the transformation of electric 

 waves into waves of lights. 



Gaseous iodine and hydrogen have been found 

 by Prof. Victor Meyer and Herr Bodenstein to 

 unite with comparative readiness without the 

 aid of the condensing agents. 



The question of the action of light upon pure 

 hydriodic-acid gas was definitely decided. Bulbs 

 exposed upon the roof of the Heidelberg labora- 

 tory during the summer months became filled in 

 a few days with brilliant crystals of iodine. 

 After ten days' exposure, 58 per cent, of the gas 

 had been dissociated, and at the end of the sum- 

 mer 99 per cent., or practically all. The fact 

 that the waves of light are so active in effecting 

 dissociation made it necessary for the thermal 

 experiments to be performed in the dark. They 

 revealed many interesting facts, chiefly of tech- 

 nical bearing. 



By attaching to the electric furnace a condens- 

 ing tube of copper shaped like the letter U, so 

 arranged as to be surrounded by an outer jacket 

 of cold water constantly changing under high 

 pressure, M. Moissan has been enabled to distill 

 and condense most of the elements which have 

 been found refractory. A piece of metallic 

 copper weighing more than a hundred grammes 

 having been placed in the inner crucible of the 

 furnace and subjected to the arc, brilliant flames 

 shot forth from the aperture through which the 

 carbon terminals were inserted, accompanied by 

 copious yellow fumes, the result of the combus- 

 tion of the issuing vapor of copper. Nearly 

 thirty grammes of copper were volatilized in five 

 minutes. Metallic copper was afterward found 

 condensed in an annular deposit of globules 

 under the cover of the furnace, and a large pro- 

 portion of the volatilized copper in the condens- 

 ing tube in almost a pure state. Silver was 

 brought to full ebullition in a few moments, 

 distilled with ease, and a portion of it was con- 

 densed in the form of small globules of various 

 sizes, while another portion was deposited in the 

 form of arborescent fragments. Platinum fused 

 in a few minutes, began soon afterward to vol- 

 atilize, and condensed in the U-tube in brilliant 

 little spheres and fine dust. Aluminum distilled 

 readily, and condensed in the form of a gray 

 powder containing admixed spherules exhibit- 

 ing brilliant metallic luster. Tin likewise dis- 

 tilled with facility, and the condensed product 

 usually contained a considerable proportion of a 

 curious fibrous variety of the metal. Gold 

 emitted abundant light yellowish-green fumes, 

 and was deposited in the condenser in the form 

 of a powder exhibiting a purple sheen. The 

 powder consisted of minute regular spheres, 

 which under the microscope appeared to reflect 

 the yellow color. Three distinct annular de- 

 posits were observed on the tinder side of the 

 cover of the furnace. Manganese was remark- 

 ably volatile, and iron was readily distilled and 

 deposited in the form of a gray powder, with 

 numerous small particles exhibiting brilliant 

 surfaces interspersed. Silicon volatilized rapid- 

 ly and condensed in minute spheres and dust. 

 Carbon was almost immediately converted into 

 graphite, which distilled over and was deposited 

 in light semitransparent plates exhibiting by 

 transmitted light a chestnut color. The re- 

 fractory alkaline earths appear likewise to be 

 capable of distillation in the electric furnace. 

 Lime was distilled rapidly, and magnesia more 

 slowly, with brilliant fumes of various tints. 



Tungsten may be readily prepared in solid in- 

 gots in M. Moissan's electric arc furnace. A 

 mixture of tungstic acid and carbon after ten 

 minutes' subjection to the arc gives a button of 

 the metal. If care be taken to have an excess 

 of tungstic acid, pure tungsten is obtained ; oth- 

 erwise a carbide is produced, which must be re- 

 fined. Metallic molybdenum was obtained by 

 the reduction of the oxide with powdered char- 

 coal. It is, however, not quite free from carbon, 

 and requires refining. More difficulty is met in 

 preparing metallic vanadium. Even after twenty 

 minutes' action of the arc only a trace of reduc- 

 tion is apparent on the surface of the mixture of 

 oxide and charcoal. Upon increasing the tension 

 of the arc by trebling the strength of the cur- 



