3g PROCESS FOR METALLIZING POTASH AND SODA. 



Their metalli- which Messrs. Thenavd and Gay-Lussac announced potash; 



of ip.n does not anc * S0( ^ a could be converted into metals by means of iron. 



always sue- ]Xot having obtained more satisfactory results however than 

 others, whom I have known to repeat the same experimeHtSj 

 I thought it right to pursue the researches I had already 

 begun on the same subject, and the success of which ap- 

 peared to me the more certain, as already the beautiful 

 •experiments of Mr. Davy had thrown great light on some 

 phenomena, which 1 had observed, but which I could not 

 before explain. 



jstheprussiate In fact, if, according to the hypothesis of the celebrated 



compound^of Sn-gftfeb chemist, potash and soda be metallic oxides, is it 



the metal with not more than probable, that the prussic calcinations are 

 simply the combination of this metal with charcoal ? Such 

 at least was my opiuion at that time; and it will appear 

 •how far it was well founded, since I have accomplished the 

 metallization of potash and of soda, by heating strongly 

 the alkali with charcoal, a process which, it is obvious, ranks 

 among the prussic calcinations. 



The metal of The metallization of potash or soda taking place with 



*he fixed alka- e j t }, er f |-j ie two m i x t U res I Khali mention, and succeeding 

 lis obtainable > ■ a 



by two pro- as Well in stone retorts as in iron tubes, the first or second 

 e«ss#s. process may be employed indifferently. As to the nature 



of the vessel, I prefer iron, because it is more permeable to 

 caloric, and less subject to fusion than the stone ware, par- 

 ticularly when the latter is penetrated with alkali; an 

 inconvenience, that prevents the operation from being 

 continued to the end, which does not happen so frequently 

 » with iron. 



Process the jflrst. 



1st preeew. Mix intimately four parts of animal charcoal well pow- 



dered with three of carbonate of soda, dried on the fire 

 without ha vino been fused ; and mix the whole wilh a suf- 

 ficient quantity of linseed oil, but uot so as to form a 

 paste. 



Process the second* 



Sd process. Take two parts of flour, and mix them intimately with 



one part of carbonate of soda prepared ax in the preceding 



process, 



