Houston.] -L'-'O [Jan. i6, 



ON A SUPPOSED ALLOTROPIC MODIFICATION OF 



PHOSPHORUS. 



By Prop. Edwin J. Houston. 



{Read before the American PhUosopMcal Soeisty, January 16, 1874.) 



In connection with Prof. Elihu Thomson, of the Aitizan's Night 

 School, the author his undertaken a series of experiments, resulting, it 

 is believed, in the discovery of a new allotropic modification of phos- 

 phorus. 



It is well known that when phosphorus is boiled in strong solution of 

 potassium hydrate, and then allowed to cool slowly, it retains its liquid 

 state for some time ; but that if shaken, or touched with a sharp point 

 it instantly solidifies. 



We believe that in the cases heretofore observed, the property of 

 retaining the liquid state is probably owing to the admixture with the 

 ordinary phosphorus of an allotropic modification, having the property 

 of retaining its liquid state indefinitely, and that, therefore, if this 

 modification were obtained sufficiently pure, it would exhibit properties 

 strikingly distinct from the common variety. We have undertaken the 

 experiments, with the following results : 



Good stick phosphorus is taken, and boiled for some time in strong 

 solatiou of potassium hydrate, and water occasionally added to replace 

 that lost by evaporation. Care must be exercised, by cautious stirring, 

 to pi-event the melted phosphorus from being carried to the surface by 

 bubbles of disengaged gas. After boiling for five or ten minutes, the 

 liquid phosphorus is carefully washed by replacing the alkaline solution 

 by a stream of cold water. In this way the hypo-phosphates are removed, 

 as well as the liquid and gaseous hydrides of phosphorus. The liquid 

 modification thus obtained jjossesses the following peculiarities, which 

 we believe entitle it to a place as one of the allotropic states of phos- 

 phorus : 



1st. That of retaining for an apparently indefinite time its liquid con- 

 dition, at temperatures far below the melting-point of the ordinary 

 material. A carefully prepared specimen has been kept by us beneath a 

 water surface for the past four months. It is still in the liquid state, at 

 the time of making this communication and seems to proinise to keep 

 this state for an indefinite time. To make the retention of its liquidity 

 still more striking, it maybe remarked that the room in which the speci- 

 men is presei-ved has been for several weeks without a fire, the tempera- 

 ture probably reaching 40° F., a point far below the melting-point of 

 ordinary phosphorus. The specimen in question was poured into a. small 

 test tube, and covered with about an inch of water. The test tube was 

 then hung by a string in a place where it was secure from sudden jars or 

 shaking. We have every reason for believing that this specimen, in 

 common with numerous others experimented upon, will instantly solidify 

 upon being touched. 



A specimen of the liquid modification was placed beneath a water 

 surface, and exposed to artificial cold produced by the evaporation of 



