Chemistry and Physics. 427 
%. Preparation and Properties of metallic Aluminum.—Sr. Ciair 
Devitte has communicated a ‘memoir on aluminum which contains 
4 
afterwards fusing the globules into one mass under the mixture of com- 
mon salt and chlorid of aluminum. As thus prepared it was silver- 
white, malleable and ductile, and had the fusing point of silver. Its 
ing. hts density was 2°56; it was a good conductor of heat and could 
be fused and poured out in the air without becoming sensibly oxydized. 
minum was acted upon by common metals at high temperatures and 
hoped that further experiments would point out a simple and cheap 
method of procaring in large quantities and at a low rate a meta 
likely to be useful in the aris. ‘The Academy unanimously voted that 
a sum of money should be placed at the disposal of M. Deville to aid 
him in the prosecution of his experiments.—Comples Rendus, Feb. 6th, 
1854. 
Note.—The propertiesof aluminum as described by Deville, differ 
in some particulars from those of the metal obtained by Wohler. us 
Vohler’s metal slowly evolved hydrogen. when placed in boiling water 
and was very readily dissolved by a dilute solution of caustic potash. 
8. Preparation of Aluminum by electric deposition.—Gork has ad- 
dressed 10 the editors of the L. and E. Phi 
asserts that aluminum and even silicon may be thrown down from their 
solutions in a coherent state by feeble electric currents. Hydrate of 
alumina was dissolved in muriatic acid and a porous cup contuining 
dilute sulphuric acid placed in the mixture. A plate of zine was placed 
in the acid and a plate of copper in the solution of alumina, the two 
i wire. Afier a few hours a lead colored deposit 
cf 
S 
42 
G 
et ae 
aa 
> 
oO 
2 
D 
fos 
o 
vant 
- 
s 
The result was hastened by warming the solutions, and the 
experiment succeeded with other solutions of alumina. With a small 
*s battery the effect was produced much more rapidly. 
When a solution of soluble glass was employed, a single Smee’s 
battery threw down a nearly silver-white metallic film which the author 
onsidered to be silicon, but which certainly possesses no analogy with 
the silicon obtained by purely chemical processes.—L. and hil. 
Mag., March, 1854. 
