Fiseher-Tropsch Held One of Most Valuable Inemy Processes
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Fiseher-Tropsch Held One of Most Valuable Inemy Processes A STAFF REPORT W. J. Connelly, of Bakdite Corp., addresses SAM οιτ new resin materials L· HE door to German industry cannot be kept open-much longer, a n d American concerns planning to send representatives there for technical surveys h a d better act quickly, said John C. Green, director of the Office of Technical Services, Depart- ment of Commerce, in a N e w York: ad- dress recently. Speaking at the luncheon meeting of the Society for the Advancement of IMan- agement, Mr. Green observed that the Germans were somewhat ahead of xis in the science of chemical synthesis, but that was because they were preparing for war. H e figures t h a t Germany was probably nine years ahead in the matter of acetylene chemistry. Two very valuable processes on which we obtained technical data were the Fiseher-Tropsch method covering con- version of coal and gases into liquid fuels and chemicals, and the two-part Agfa color film process. Of the two, the Fiseher- Tropsch information was jprobably the most outstanding as it promises to double our fuel resources in this country. Ajnong other highly regarded catches were the secret technical files of the Krupp Works. There were, of course, hundreds of other valuable Nazi patents and processes obtained by the OTS which are being made available to American science and industry. Mr. Green detailed the pro- cedures which his office has set up for this purpose. A weekly bibliography of the processes is issued for publication in newspapers and science and trade papers, and these lists are designated for easy identification when inquiries are made concerning spe- cific German patents at the OTS. The reports are deposited at the Li- brary of Congress and from these photo- copies or microfilm reproductions are sold at a nominal cost. An idea of the magnitude of the work will be seen from the master card file which now contains more than 300,000 subjects. Indexes and a bibliography of enemy technical data are also maintained at the office of the Department of Commerce in New York City. The OTS in Washing- ton is visited daily by persons interested in obtaining the information. Such calls recently have been averaging about 60 a day, in addition to many telephone inquiries. The Agfa color photo process is carried out with the use of two basic films in place of the usual eight as conducted heretofore. Five or six manufacturers in this country are now experimenting with the process. Another German de- velopment which has attracted much interest here, Mr. Green said, concerns a method for the production of synthetic plasma. All w r e got out of the first world war, the OTS director concluded, was a collection of difficult and obscure patents. This time we obtained everything—the patents, know-how, and plant experience. The tec mical representatives concerned with chemical developments, for example, prac- tically lived at the I. G. Farben plants. Still, it should be kept in mind that while we w^ent to great lengths to repro- duce the enemy data accurately, "the Ger- mans actually have not lost anything aside from equipment. Some of this has been removed to the United States. In reply to a question, Mr. Green stated that the scientific and industrial develop- ments of Japan have likewise been sub- jected to a fairly thorough survey. A tremendous amount of technical mate- rial has been received from General Mac- Arthur, but owing t o the difficulty of translating from the Japanese some time will elapse before it can be published in this country. Other speakers at the management con- ference, which was called to discuss new available materials and to keep produc- tion moving, included Walter Dorwin Teague, industrial designer; W. J. Con- nelly, manager of consumer relations for Bakélite Corp.; A. K. Socman η, manager of the synthetic crystal division, Linde Air Products; Robert Burns, new products division, Celanese Corp. of iVmerica; and K. W. Given, chemical department, Gen- eral Electric Co. In discussing industrial uses for various resins, Mr. Connelly said we are entering a new era—not a fanciful one where plastics rule the world but where they are being used in their correct applica- tions, properly engineered and developed. New processes in the laminating field have developed low power factor items which will play an important role in electronics. A newcomer in t h e plywood field is plywood with a skin treatment. Syn- thetic resin-treated papcV is laminated on the surface of the plywood and a product results with superior weather-resistant properties, strength, and durability. The speaker outlined some large-scale applications for the coating vinyls which are now extended to the interiors of rail- road tank cars owing to their resistance to corrosion, alcohol, and deterioration. Dis- persion resins also have had their drying time reduced from hours to minutes. Protective coatings of specially formu- lated phenolic resin now dry in as little as one minute. Industrial uses and chemical and physi- cal properties of the synthetic sapphire were explained to t h e meeting by Mr. Seemann. Uniformity of hardness in the material is assured by its unicrystalline structure. Its hardness is nine on Moh's scale, making it second in this respect only to the diamond. A perfectly smooth surface is attainable, minimizing friction. Coupled with wearability is resistance by the sapphire to all commercial chemi- cals, plus suitable properties for many electrical applications. These properties are all maintained under heat up to a temperature of bet-ween 3,090° and 3,632° F., when the material exhibits a plasticity which makes flame-working, bending, and polishing techniques pos- sible. Important uses for the sapphire are watch and instrument bearings, thread guides for textile mills, precision gages, gage points for micrometers, extrusion dies for soft metals, inspection windows for pressure vessels. An exhibit of new and improved plastics was set up at the management conference by the Bakélite Corp. A somewhat similar exhibit was presented by the Gen- eral Electric Co. VOLUME 2 5, NO. 12 - » MARCH 2 4, 1947 839
Transcript of Fiseher-Tropsch Held One of Most Valuable Inemy Processes
Fiseher-Tropsch Held One of Most Valuable Inemy Processes
A STAFF REPORT
W. J. Connelly, of Bakdite Corp., addresses SAM οιτ new resin materials
L· HE door t o German i n d u s t r y c a n n o t be kept open-much longer, a n d American concerns planning to send r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s there for technical surveys h a d be t t e r act quickly, said John C. G r e e n , director of t h e Office of Technical S e r v i c e s , D e p a r t ment of Commerce, in a N e w York: address recently.
Speaking a t the l u n c h e o n meet ing of t he Society for the A d v a n c e m e n t of IMan-agement , M r . Green o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e Germans were somewhat a h e a d of xis in t he science of chemical s y n t h e s i s , b u t that was because they were p r e p a r i n g for war. H e figures t h a t Germany w a s probably nine years ahead in the m a t t e r of acetylene chemistry.
Two very valuable p r o c e s s e s on which we obtained technical d a t a were the Fiseher-Tropsch method cover ing conversion of coal and gases i n t o liquid fuels and chemicals, and the t w o - p a r t Agfa color film process. Of t he two, t h e Fiseher-Tropsch information was jp robab ly the most outs tanding as i t p r o m i s e s to doub le our fuel resources in th i s c o u n t r y . Ajnong other highly regarded c a t c h e s were t he secret technical files of the K r u p p W o r k s .
There were, of course, h u n d r e d s of other valuable Naz i pa ten ts a n d processes obtained by the O T S w h i c h are being made available to American science and industry. M r . Green d e t a i l e d t h e procedures which his office has s e t up f o r this purpose.
A weekly bibliography of t h e processes is issued for publication i n newspapers and science and t rade p a p e r s , and these lists are designated for easy identification when inquiries are m a d e c o n c e r n i n g specific German patents a t the O T S .
The reports are d e p o s i t e d a t t h e Library of Congress and f rom these p h o t o
copies or microfilm reproductions are sold a t a nominal cost. An idea of the magni tude of t h e work will be seen from the master card file which now contains more than 300,000 subjects.
Indexes and a bibliography of enemy technical da ta are also maintained a t the office of the D e p a r t m e n t of Commerce in New York Ci ty . T h e OTS in Washington is visited daily by persons interested in obtaining the information. Such calls recently have been averaging about 60 a day, in addi t ion to many telephone inquiries.
T h e Agfa color photo process is carried out with the use of two basic films in place of the usual eight as conducted heretofore. F ive or six manufacturers in this country are now experimenting with the process. Another German development which has a t t racted much interest here, Mr. Green said, concerns a method for t h e production of synthet ic plasma.
All wre got o u t of t h e first world war, the OTS director concluded, was a collection of difficult a n d obscure patents . This t ime we obtained everything—the patents , know-how, a n d p lan t experience. T h e tec mical representatives concerned with chemical developments, for example, practically lived a t the I . G. Farben plants.
Still, it should be kept in mind tha t while we w^ent to great lengths to reproduce the enemy da ta accurately, "the Germans actually have not lost anything aside from equipment . Some of this has been removed to the United States.
I n reply to a question, Mr. Green s ta ted t h a t the scientific and industrial developments of J a p a n have likewise been subjected to a fairly thorough survey. A tremendous a m o u n t of technical ma te
rial h a s been received from General Mac -Arthur , b u t owing t o the difficulty of translating from the Japanese some t ime will elapse before it can be published in this country.
Other speakers at t h e management conference, which was called to discuss new available materials a n d to keep production moving, included Walter Dorwin Teague, industrial designer; W. J . Connelly, manager of consumer relations for Bakélite Corp. ; A. K. Socman η, manager of the synthetic crystal division, Linde Air Products ; Rober t Burns, new products division, Celanese Corp. of iVmerica; and K. W . Given, chemical department, General Electric Co.
In discussing industrial uses for various resins, Mr. Connelly said we are enter ing a new era—not a fanciful one where plastics rule the world but where they are being used in their correct applications, properly engineered and developed. New processes in the laminating field have developed low power factor items which will play an important role i n electronics.
A newcomer in t h e plywood field is plywood with a skin treatment. Synthet ic resin-treated papcV is laminated on the surface of the plywood a n d a product results wi th superior weather-resistant properties, strength, a n d durability.
T h e speaker outlined some large-scale applications for the coating vinyls which are now extended to t h e interiors of railroad tank cars owing t o their resistance t o corrosion, alcohol, and deterioration. Dispersion resins also have had their drying time reduced from hours to minutes . Protective coatings of specially formulated phenolic resin now dry in as little as one minute .
Industrial uses and chemical and physical properties of the synthetic sapphire were explained to t h e meeting b y M r . Seemann. Uniformity of hardness in t h e material is assured b y its unicrystalline structure. Its hardness is n ine on Moh's scale, making it second in this respect only to t h e diamond. A perfectly smooth surface is attainable, minimizing friction.
Coupled with wearability is resistance by t h e sapphire to al l commercial chemicals, plus suitable properties for many electrical applications. These properties are all maintained under h e a t u p to a temperature of bet-ween 3,090° and 3,632° F. , when the material exhibits a plasticity which makes flame-working, bending, and polishing techniques possible.
Impor t an t uses for the sapphire a re watch and ins t rument bearings, thread guides for textile mills, precision gages, gage points for micrometers, extrusion dies for soft metals, inspection windows for pressure vessels.
An exhibit of new a n d improved plastics was set u p a t t he management conference by the Bakéli te Corp. A somewhat similar exhibit was presented by t h e General Electric Co.
V O L U M E 2 5, N O . 1 2 - » M A R C H 2 4 , 1 9 4 7 839
