78 



NATURE 



[September 26J i<)i8 



ing materials, li ma) be machined with eai b) 



op fools; ilnis ii m.i\ be tui ned in the 



desired shape <>r size, and ma\ be filed, 



thn aded. Ordinal \ carbon, however pre- 



ii more troublesome to work, and soon 



,]. n. tool-edge. 



In thi 1 I Ivsis of solutions such as common salt-, 



h nascent chlorine is liberated, anodes of 

 graphite arc superior to others, nol being 

 Iced b) chlorine. In other cases in vvhii 

 substances arc liberated b\ the electrolysis, such .is 

 the recoven of coppei and nickel from residues, the 

 s.uii. superiority is shown, and consequent^ artificial 

 gi iphite is extensn civ used in sui h ca 



Ihc superior conductivity of graphite renders ii mop 

 • suitable for filling the space between the two plates 

 ol a dry cell than carbon. \ further advantage is its 

 greater purity, so thai ii is nol liable to cause local 

 action. Special grades of graphite powdet are madi 

 for this purpose, and find a wide application in cells 

 for flashlights, telephones, and numerous militan 

 purposes. 



Artificial graphite has found a certain application 

 as a lubricant in the forms of "oildag" and "aqua- 

 ! ," both of which were introduced In Dr. Acheson, 

 The graphite used in these cases is first ground down 

 to a powder which will pass through a sieve of 40,000 

 meshes to the square inch, and afterwards treated 

 chemicall) so thai it forms a colloidal suspension in 

 oil or water. Graphite of this character is said to he 



" dellocculaled." and when suspended in a liquid will 



pass readily through a filter-paper. When added to 

 oil the lubricant "oildag" is formed, and its use on 

 a bearing results in the production of a thin layer 

 ol graphite on the rubbing surfaces, which, when 

 formed, enables efficient lubrication to lie carried on 

 with a greatly diminished feed of lubricant. 



When rock-crystal or sand is healed to fusion and 

 allowed to cool, it remains in a vitreous condition. 

 and then possesses properties resembling those of 



In making tubes a current of sufficient power is 

 passed through a graphite cote surrounded b\ sand, 

 which is fused to a depth determined bv the time the 

 current passes. Care must be exercised not to exceed 

 a temperature of 2000 C, as otherwise there would 

 be a danger of the carbon and silica reacting to form 

 carborundum. The core is then withdrawn, and the 

 nlastic mass pulled out into tubes of the required 

 dimensions. T>v arranging the shape of the core, 

 Dieces with closed ends can be made, and afterwards 

 n in moulds to any desired shape by means of 

 iressed air. A weighl of 200 lb. of fused silica 

 now be produced and manipulated, thus rendering 

 ii p<- ible to manufacture articles for commercial pro- 

 cesses \ similar method is now followed in making 

 transp enl silica from pure quartz. 



modern plant for the manufacture of 

 nitric acid from saltpetre, the product is condensed in 

 silica-] liih may be water-cooled without danger 



ol crack ' in concentrating sulphuric acid silica 



basins ,; I Xhe production of the enormous 



quantitii s ol ids needed for the manufacture of 



explosives ha tiuch facilitated by the use of 



silica apparatus in addition, the output of vessels 



and pipes ol vari Is ha Droved of advantage to 



chemical industrn . in dl cases where acid- 



and heat-resisting 1 of importance. 



It will be 1 1' .in ho have studit d the 



matter closelv thai the fu 1 success of any 



country will largely depi I extent to which 



ii develops high-temperatui 



One of the first essentials 1 cheat) and 



l.int sunplv of electi icity, 1 1 be hoped 



not only the sixteen > itions pro- 



). 2552. VOL. I02] 



posed In tin Coal Conservation Committee, but also 

 man] others, will be erected, entirel) aparl from con- 

 siderations ol 1 1 onomy in coal. 



It is now possible to pun has. electric power as 



cheaply at Newcastle as at Niagara, the greal centre 

 for electric-furnace products ; and there appears, there- 

 fore, to be no economic reason why carborundum and 

 graphite, foi example, should nol be manufactured in 

 England. The developmenl of cheap-power schemes 



should lead In I In establishment of main new indus- 

 tries in this country, provided the necessarj 1 nti q 

 and capital be forthcoming. 



One effect of the wat has been to create a general 

 apprei iation of the value of research in connection with 

 industry, and 1 Hurts have been mad., in mam direc- 

 tions to make good our previous negligence in this 

 1 espei t. 



So far as high-temperature processes an ci trned, 



our record is nol one of which we maj be proud, as, 

 with the exception of silica wan. and aluminium, we 

 .ivr dependent on other countries for materials which 

 have now- become indispensable. The chief reason 



for this has. no doubt, been the absence of (heap elec- 



tricita ; bui now thai ibis is to be remedied, no time 

 should be losl in commencing high-temperatun re- 

 search on various lines. Amongsl problems awaiting 

 solution ma\ be mentioned the smelting of tungsten 

 and other metals of verv high melting-points, and the 

 formation ol alloys of these metals; the production of 

 suitable refractories for use in electric furnaces 

 generally : and the manufacture of the diamond on the 

 large scale For abrasive purposes. \p.ut from these 

 obvious lines of research, the production of new com- 

 pounds as the result of high-temperature reactions 

 offers a boundless field for investigation, and should 

 lead to important industrial developments. It is only 

 necessary to consider the results which have accrued 

 from the heating of coal and lime, coal and sand, and 

 carbon .done, in the electric furnace, to realise the 

 possibilities in this direction, and the imperative need 

 for research on the lines indicated. 



A good electric furnace, capable of taking charges 

 which would enable commercial possibilities to be 

 deduced, should be installed at all the leading centres 

 of scientific instruction. One or more such furnaces, 

 devoted to general research, should be established in 

 London; and, speaking from personal knowledge, 

 there would immediately be many firms desirous of 

 submitting problems the solution of which would be 

 an aid to the industries in which the* are engaged. 



It is to be botied that before long high-temperature 

 ■ is, arch will be flourishing in this countn as it has 

 been for sonic years in America. The factories at 

 Niagara, with their enormous output of various 

 materials, are the outcome of ibis research, ami given 

 'ilcuM.it. Facilities in this country for investigation, 

 there is no doubl that we should reap our full share 

 of the future developments which are certain to arise 

 in this field of work 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 



INTELLIGENCE. 



University ok London.— 'flu sum of 1000/. has 



been given in the University 1>\ the National Hank 



of South Africa for the promotion of Dutch studies. 



A icuksi ,,f three lectures on ' s. ieiitifn Factor) 



Management " will be given by Dr. A. D. Denning al 

 the London School of Economics and Political Science 

 on Mondays, beginning on Octobet 28. 



A 1 tb. Pharmaceutical Societ) of Ireland, Mr. 

 W. II. \-hinore has been appointed professor 

 of materia medica, in succession to Dr. M. 



