Industrial Research 



233 



to the patent record, the chemical industry and mis- 

 cellaneous in(histrial products stand first, dyes and 

 textile chemistry second, metalku-gy and metallography 

 third, apparatus, plant equipment, and unit operations 

 fourlli. These arc from a list of thirty classifications. 



Promises for the Future 



As for the future, we may quote Willis R. Whitney, 

 who said, "The impossible is only what we have not 

 learned to do." Research is planned and carried on 

 toda}' in a manner that affords the outstanding indi- 

 vidual the support of an organized group of which he 

 becomes the leader. An objective having been deter- 

 mined, a campaign is carefully devised to achieve it. 

 Thus some years ago Irving Langmuir became interested 

 in filaments for electric lights and in the electrical con- 

 ductivity of gases and began his experiments accord- 

 ingly. It was in the pursuit of this work that certain 

 new data were established leading to the first of the 

 modern incandescent electric lamps, wherein gases 

 like argon are used in place of exhausting tlie bulb to a 

 point approaching a vacuum. The result has been of 

 enormous economic benefit to lamp users and the re- 

 search has brought still other gains. Dr. Langmuir's 

 work on thin films is another classic example of initial 

 results of research originating with an individual and 

 carried forward by him with the assistance of an appro- 

 priate research group. 



New methods developed concurrently and in the 

 hands of the well trained researcher offer new possibili- 

 ties in the future. We have come to use procedures 

 calling for infrared rays and X-rays, catalysis, in the 

 solid, liquid, or vapor phase, very high or very low 

 temperatures, not only in investigation but in actual 

 production. New equipment of glass, stainless steel, 

 clad metals, silver, ceramics, resins or any other 

 material required is available as never before, and the 

 giant vessels in which the cracking of petroleum and 

 catalysis are carried on in many industries entitle the 

 steel industry to a word of praise. New theories are no 

 less valuable a tool than are possibilities of new equip- 

 ment. Considerations of monomolecular layers, of 

 atomic structure, of quantum mechanics, and of isotopes 

 are useful and some of them so new that evaluation of 

 their future trends is difficult. The importance of 

 cumulative recorded experience must not be overlooked. 

 Here again the scientific literature takes its place as 

 perhaps the most important tool. The rapid progress 

 of the day can be credited in large measure to the 

 cumulative dividend the present enjoys on the work of 

 the past. It is the recorded accumulation of some 200 

 years' research that is brought to play on today's 

 problems. 



Then too there are more and better trained men 

 available than ever before and there is greater fiiith in 



the possibilities. The change in attitude toward 

 applied research in industry that has taken place in this 

 century is of the utmost significance. It is a change 

 from conducting resean^h in secret, and with some 

 apologies for this evidence of supposed weakness in an 

 organization to pleasure in advertising the fact that the 

 pursuit of science by the best possible means is one of 

 the greatest assets of an industrial organization. Once 

 abandoned in time of emergency, today research is 

 accelerated under similar conditions by farseeing execu- 

 tives. All these are factors in our new progress. 



It is sometimes asked why so large a percentage of the 

 research workers are in chemistry. This may be ex- 

 plained by the fundamental position that cliemistry 

 holds and consequently its applicability to practically 

 all industry, as well as its utilization in most branches 

 of science. Industry demands the continual develop- 

 ment of new and better products. The industries need 

 exact and specific knowledge of the properties of their 

 materials, whether they are engaged in applied physics 

 or applied chemistry. The methods employed by a 

 manufacturer must be equal or superior to those of his 

 competitors if he is to maintain his place. In all these 

 circumstances chemistry is needed. 



Figure 70. — Entrance to Research L.iljoratorv, AI>liott Labora- 

 tories, North Chicago, Illinois 



