232 



National Resources Planning Board 



lives may produce results no less startling than those 

 that are on record. This planned group research is an 

 excellent example of the modern method wherein in- 

 stead of just continuing work with the hope of finding 

 something useful, the objective is definitely outlined and 

 careful plans are made for the campaign whieli sliould 

 end in its achievement. 



The necessity of finding a nontoxic and nonflamma- 

 ble refrigerant for use in largo systems, not only for 

 household refrigerators but for air-conditioning, led to 

 the development of a family of fluorinated hydrocarbons 

 one of which is dichlorodifluoromethane now called 

 "Freon." This is an instance of an invention made to 

 order to meet a distinct need. The wetting agents and 

 detergents are new products of importance wherever 

 aqueous solutions are employed, whether for textiles, 

 dyeing and finishing, or in the laundries or machine 

 shops for cleansing. The control of surface tension and 

 the prevention of precipitation of the calcium and 

 magnesium salts which cause hardness in water have 

 come within the last decade and are used all the way 

 from the removal of oil films from machine parts and 

 laundering of clothes to dentifrices. 



The synthetic rubberlike plastics are among the 

 newer and most exciting materials of this sort and have 

 long been sought by the research chemist. Neoprene, 

 Thiokol, Koroseal, and Buna have become common 

 names and represent various materials each of which is 

 superior to natural rubber for some particular service. 

 Butyl rubber, Chemigum, and Ameripol were intro- 

 duced in 1940. So old a material as glass is constantly 

 improved and new kinds made available. One of the 

 latest of these is shrunk glass, produced by dissolving 

 certain constituents from the finished molded ware and 

 then submitting the residtant piece to further heat treat- 

 ment. The final product is approximately one-half the 

 bulk of the initial piece and in the process it acquires 

 many of the valuable properties of fused silica. The field 

 of insecticides is so important in our continuing battle 

 with the insects that advances there are of public in- 

 terest. Investigations showing how to separate and use 

 active principles from heretofore little Imown plants like 

 derris and cube have been very helpful. Research also 

 has devised and continues to discover new organic and 

 inorganic compounds that have proved very efficient 

 against certain pests. 



New Processes 



New processes are not uncommon where chemical re- 

 search is being applied. Ethanol, long derived only by 

 the fermentation of sugars and starches, is now syn- 

 thesized by the millions of gallons from petroleum gases. 

 The most recent process for making urea produces that 

 compound from carbon dioxide and ammonia. In 1939 

 methanol (crude natural) was produced by wood dis- 



tillation to the extent of 4,659,589 gallons and by syn- 

 thetic process from carbon mono.xide and hydrogen to 

 the amount of 34,255,699 gallons. 



The contact process for the manufacture of sulfuric 

 acid, using either the platinum or vanadium catalyst, 

 has largely replaced the lead chamber method, and 

 phosphoric acid is produced by new electrolytic proc- 

 esses. It was a new process for the production of 

 phthalic anhydride that made possible at reasonable 

 costs the production of large amounts required. New 

 processes for the production of cyanide arc more than 

 merely interesting in view of the growing importance 

 of that chemical as a raw material for many uses. 

 Acetic acid and acetic anhydride are no longer made as 

 they were even 25 years ago. Conversations with the 

 manager of any chemical plant will reveal the fact that 

 whereas the concern began by manufacturing its prod- 

 ucts in certain ways, marked improvements have been 

 made through research with distinct gains in economy 

 of operations. Simplification of processes and in- 

 creased efficiency are the order of the day. 



Materials for Equipment Construction 



Many of these processes have had to wait for better 

 construction materials and praise must be given those 

 whose brilliant work has supplied such needs. Low-cost 

 oxidation of synthetic ammonia to concentrated nitric 

 acid was not possible until the advent of stainless steel. 

 Glass-lined equipment, or that made entirely of special 

 glass or fused quartz has been required for other proc- 

 esses. The ceramic industry has played its part in 

 improving its wares and the production of entirely new 

 equipment from clays and similar raw materials. Auto- 

 matic control, improved methods of heating, the devel- 

 opment of the exceedingly important high-temperature 

 high-pressure technique are among the marvels of our 

 time. Even advances in methods of transportation and 

 improvements in packaging have all plaj'ed their part 

 in rounding out a procedure that has made the chemical 

 industry itself and also as a contributor to other indus- 

 tries, so great and vital to the American people. It well 

 justifies the designation of a "key industry." All of 

 these things are fruits of persistent research conducted 

 in continuity. 



It is difficult to say in which fields the most has been 

 done. If we use the publication of scientific papers and 

 of patents as a criterion, we may gain some idea of the 

 extent of research activity. If measured by the pub- 

 lished abstracts of such scientific papers, we find first 

 place in pure science belonging to biological chemistry, 

 second to general and physical chemistry, and the third 

 to organic chemistry. Industrial chemistr^^ shows soils, 

 fertilizers, and agricultural poisons first, foods second, 

 pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and perfumes third, dyes 

 and textile chemistrv fourth. If we turn our attention 



