232 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1340 



for use in ehlorination appears to give a lower 

 yield of cellulose than the original Cross and 

 Bevan method probably because of the tempera- 

 ture at which ehlorination takes place. 



Cellulose phthalate; its preparation and proper- 

 ties: H. A. Levey. 



The effect of impurities on the metallurgy of 

 tungsten: Clakence W. Botka. A study was made 

 of the effect of such oxides as those of iron, co- 

 balt, calcium, sodium, aluminum, magnesium, 

 thorium and the rare earths on the density of ig- 

 nited tungsten oxide and of the tungsten metal 

 powder resulting from its reduction in hydrogen. 

 Further observation was made of the effect of 

 these impurities upon the grain size of sintered 

 tungsten ingots. In general it may be said that 

 iron and cobalt render the metal exceedingly hard 

 and difficult to work, and produce an exaggerated 

 grain growth. Such impurities as the oxides of 

 calcium, aluminum, magnesium, etc., tend to block 

 grain growth during sintering and in some in- 

 stances make it necessary to prolong this opera- 

 tion. 



The separation and examination of the isomers 

 of xylene: W. D. Turner and K. K. Kekshiter. 

 Samples of xylene, obtained through the kindness 

 of the Laclede Gas Light Co. were submitted to a 

 series of fractional sulphonations and crystaUiza- 

 tiong of various sulphonic salts, according to a 

 scheme suggested by the research department of 

 the Eastman Kodak Co. The processes were first 

 carried out in glassware after which the resulting 

 modifications were tried in small size industrial 

 apparatus. The process as applied consisted essen- 

 tially of four successive sulphonations, the oil re- 

 maining unaffected holding the para-xylene. This 

 was sulphonated with fuming sulphuric acid and 

 converted to the barium salt for recrystallization 

 after which it yielded pure para-xylene by hydro- 

 lysis. The ortho- and meta-sulphonic acids were 

 converted to the sodium salts which were separated 

 by fractional crystallization. Subsequent hydro- 

 lysis yielded pure ortho- and meta-xylenes. 



The preparation of furfural from corn cobs: H. 

 L. Ddnlap and V. K. Fischlowitz. Varying con- 

 centrations of sulfuric acid, from 5.8 normal to 1 

 normal, were used to treat the material in a thirty- 

 five gallon enameled steam jacketed kettle. Three 

 normal sulfuric acid was found to be best. Con- 

 centrations beyond this decomposes some of the 

 furfural thus cutting down the yield. When rapid 

 steam distillation was used, the time for refluxing 

 is about two hours. The more rapid the steam 

 distillation the better, 'as the furfural will be car- 

 ried over in larger quantities for the distillate 



collected. If the distillation is too long drawn 

 out, poorer yields will result owing to decompo- 

 sition. The liquid in the kettle must not be al- 

 lowed to concentrate too rapidly in the beginning 

 of the distillation. Sulfuric acid does not serve as 

 well as hydrochloric acid for the condensation of 

 the pentoses, but it permits of the use of con- 

 densers other than of glass. Benzene can be used 

 as a solvent in place of the more expensive and 

 more highly volatile ether. 



The oarhonieation of Missouri eannel coals: H. 

 L. DuNLAP and K. K. Kerschnee. Five different 

 eannel coals were subjected to destructive distilla- 

 tion in a gas-fired horizontal retort and the re- 

 sults compared with a bituminous coal coked under 

 the same conditions. Both the oils and gases col- 

 lected at different stages of the carbonization were 

 examined. Different eannel coals show a wide 

 variation in the yield of distillation products. The 

 decomposition temperature for eannel coals is 

 much lower than that of bituminous coals. The 

 oils from eannel coals have a low specific gravity 

 and consist chiefly of parafiin hydrocarbons. These 

 oils resemble the oils obtained by low-temperature 

 carbonization of bituminous coals. Cannel coals 

 yield a larger quantity of gas than bituminous 

 coals and this gas has a high calorific and illumi- 

 nating value. Again, this is what is found in the 

 coking bituminous coals at a low temperature. 

 With the removal of the sulfur compounds, cannel 

 coal gas would be a valuable illuminating gas. 

 Cannel coals yield little ammonia due to the low 

 temperature of carbonization. Only two of the 

 coals examined gave a coke of any commercial 

 value. Again, these coals would not be a source 

 for benzene and toluene unless coked at a higher 

 temperature than used in these tests. 

 (To he continued) 



Charles L. Parsons, 



Secretary 



SCIENCE 



A Weekly Journal devoted to the Advancement of 

 Science, publishing the official notices and pro- 

 ceedings of the American AssociatioQ for 

 the Advancement of Science 



Published every Friday by 



THE SCIENCE PRESS 



LANCASTER. PA. GARRISON, N. Y. 



NEW YORK, N. Y. 



Enteietl in the po9t-o£c« at Lancaster, Pa., af aecood clati matter 



