frHE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK

Ν STAFF REPORT

Postwar Expansion in Organics Halted by 1952 Production Loss

Most groups receded 5 to 1 2 % , dyes by 2 3 % — steel strike and textile slump were retarding factors

Aliphatics joined in output decline, but petroleum industry made more benzene and toluene during year

OF ORGANIC chemicals, largest branch of the nation's leading supplying in­

dustry, currently is undergoing an ex­pansion that will add considerably t o its capacity by 1955. This program was not affected by the fact that organic chemical production and sales turned downward last year, in some instances quite sharply.

This is shown by the preliminary r e ­ports on organic chemical production which have been issued over the past few weeks by the U. S. Tariff Commis­sion, and which indicate that the in­dustry's total organic production whico amounted to 57.5 billion pounds in 1951, fell appreciably below that in 1952.

Most organic chemical groups in the commission's reports showed output vol­ume losses amounting to 5 to 12% from the preceding year. One group, synthetic dyestuffs, had an output loss of as mudh. as 23% as the result of setbacks in tex­tile production and sales.

Organic chemical production and sales in the main were unfavorably affected by a number of factors. One of the really serious ones was the steel strike during the first half. Parts of the plastics and coatings industries were also hit.

In the government report on organic chemicals the largest group in point of volume as well as dollar sales is the one labeled "miscellaneous." Although some of the industry's most basic and widely consumed items in this category sustained good-sized losses in production and sale, the output total for the entire classifica­tion declined only some 5% to 15,786,-137,000 pounds.

And while the sales volume suffered a slight decline from the previous year, the total value of these sales actually in­creased about $30.5 million to reach $1,145,284,000 in 1952. Thus the loss in volume was made up for by higher prices, although the rise on a unit sales basis was very small, or from the 1951 figure of 15 cents per pound to 16 cents in 1952.

Manufacturers attribute production and sales losses in organics last year to the depressed state of affairs in textiles; pro­duction declines in plastics, especially among the phenolics, the phthalic alkyds, and the ^vinyls. There was, in addition, a lessened volume in organic chemicals for parts of the coatings industry.

Effects of Textile Slump. Last year witnessed a marked setback in the pro­duction of acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and carbon disulfide, which are primary chemical xnaterials in the manufacture of acetate and rayon textile fibers. The textile industries more recently have re­covered. During the first quarter of the current year rayon and acetate fiber pro­duction was 293.4 million pounds, an in­crease of 11% over the corresponding 1952 period. The first three months of 1953 have likewise witnessed good re­coveries io cotton and wool consumption.

Effect o>f a textile recession can be seen in the production data for acetic anhy­dride. The total dropped from 975,878,-000 pounds, 10O% basis, in 1951 to 686,-322,000 pounds in 1952. Synthetic acetic acid prodxiction, also on a 100% basis, declined during the same years from 454,-010,000 pounds to 382,922,000 pounds.

Carbon disulfide, essential chemical in

Miscellaneous Synthetic Chemicals Production (Millions of Pounds)

1951 1952 <7o change Cyclic 235 279 +18.0 Acyclic 16,378 15,507 —5.0

Total 16,613 15,786 —5.0 Sales (Millions of Pounds)

1951 1952 Cyclic 191 238 Acyclic 7167 7051

Total 7358 7289 Sales (Millions of Pounds)

1951 1952 Cyclic 64 75 Acyclic

Total 1052 1070 1116 1145

the conversion of cellulose into viscose rayon, did not suffer percentagewise the decline in acetic anhydride, falling from 483,979,000 to 475,960,000 pounds.

Acetone, butyl alcohols, ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, and pentaerythritol, are among the organics which serve diverse functions in the preparation of lacquers and other coating compounds. Last year the output of acetone as well as of iso-propyl alcohol, from which it is processed, fell off rather sharply. The acetone total dropped from 559.6 million pounds in 1951 to 439.5 million in 1952. Of the latter, 403.7 million pounds were derived via isopropyl alcohol.

Butyl alcohol, important lacquer sol­vent, went from 348.9 million pounds to 305.6 million, and in addition had its sales value pared considerably. The unit value of butyl alcohol sales dropped from 20 cents to 14 cents per pound

In the face of all this, synthetic al­cohol obtained by chemical and petroleum companies from ethylene through captive ethylene facilities, was able to achieve a further slight output gain. Total syn­thetic ethanol production was 858,152,000 pounds, against 856,913,000 the year be­fore. The 1952 pound figures are equal to about 126.2 million wine gallons of pure ethyl alcohol.

In the industry attention is called to two interesting features of the 1952 syn­thetic alcohol report. The sales unit value is reported for the first time and is given as 5 cents per pound, or 34 cents a gallon. This is some 18 cents below the quotation prevailing near the close of last year for pure ethyl alcohol in tank cars, and evidently the 34-cent compila­tion represents in part some long-term, low priced contracts still in effect.

It is also noteworthy to find that of the 858.1 million pound production of syn­thetic alcohol in 1952, less than 263 million were made available for sale. This reveals a larger captive use of alcohol by the synthetic producers themselves than had been estimated.

Synthetic methanol and formaldehyde derived from it would be expectaed to reflect uniformly a downturn in the resins industry. But last year synthetic methanol production dropped to 1,098,517,000 pounds, from 1,223,798,000 pounds in 1951, while formaldehyde, figured on a 37% by weight basis, increased slightly to above the billion-pound mark. The an­swer probably is supplied by the fact that methanol has other uses in addition to serving as the raw material for formal­dehyde, two of them being antifreeze and chemical processing. Formaldehyde, which showed a production increase is more heavily dependent on the fortunes of the plastics industry.

Hexamethylenetetramine, the product of

2968 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

Dependable Source of Raw Material Chemicals

rrWyandotte Kreelon CD raised our soil removal,

whiteness retention," says F R A N C E S C O J A N N I C E L L I ,

Maid-Easy Cleansing Products Corp.

Francesco Jannicelli

"We have used many alkylarylsul-fonates," says Mr. Jannicelli, presi­dent of Maid-Easy Cleansing Prod­ucts Corp., Mount Vernon, N.Y., "and have never had as good results as we have obtained with Wyan­dotte Kreelon C D .

"This Wyandot te product com­bines the advantages of a synthetic detergent and a detergent-promoter in one, and it gives us a better, more uniform finished product that is easy on the hands.

"We are so pleased with the ad­

vantages to us — savings in storage space, reduced handling and mixing time, and improvements in soil removal against the products we previously used — tha t we have switched over a great many of our compounds to a Kreelon CD base."

H a v e you t r i ed W y a n d o t t e KREELON* CD? Not only does its emollient characteristics reduce skin irritation, bu t KREELON C D ' S deter-gency offers a 20-70% improvement in soil removal and whiteness re­tention properties.

Also, do you know about Wyan­dotte 's new KREELON 8D and 8G which offer bet ter economy and greater solubility than other high, active-agent detergents? Both of the se p r o d u c t s have improved whiteness-retention properties and are ideal for commercial laundry and household formulations.

Let us send you a sample and da ta on Wyandot te KREELON. Mail coupon today, or write for helpful t echn ica l a s s i s t ance . Wyandotte Chemicals Corporation, Wyandotte, Michigan. Offices in principal cities*

*KEG. U . S . P A T . OFT.

iiandotte CHEMICALS Headquarters for

ALKALIES

Wyandotte Chemicals Corporation, Dept. CEN, Wyandotte, Michigan

Send for free literature on: • Kreelon 4D Flake, • 4G Powder (40% active agent) • Kreelon 8D Flake, • 8G Powder (85% active agent) • Kreelon CD (Promoted Syndet)

Send sample quantity of: Kreelon 4Ό ( ) , 4G ( ) , 8D ( ) , 8G ( ) , ( ) , for use in: CD

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V O L U M E 3 1, N O . 2 9 » » » » J U L Y 2 0, 1 9 5 3 2969

THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK

P R O D U C T I O N A N D SALES OF SYNTHETIC O R G A N I C CHEMICALS Millions of Pounds

W& PRODUCTION1

8000

i£l SALES

1 4000

1951 1952 1 Excludes cellulosics

formaldehyde and ammonia, more than doubled its production last year at 53,549,-000 pounds. In the past war this chemical was urgently needed for the bomb ex­plosive BJDX; since the war it has found more stable outlets in synthetic resins in addition to military use. Some in the industry, however, feel that capacity for hexamethylenetetramine is overbuilt.

Coal-Tar Declines. Two adverse de­velopments last year contributed to a loss of 12.1% in the new supplies of tar, from which tar distillers obtain some of the chemical industry's most essential raw materials—benzene, toluene, xylene, and naphthalene. One was the steel strike which curtailed coking operations. The other was a long-term development which

is still under way, the replacement by nat­ural gas of manufactured gas, which em­ploys coal.

These statistical developments affect­ing the basic chemicals are found in the report, "Tar and Tar Crudes," and in this instance the data are supplied by both the Tariff Commission and the Bureau of Mines. This title, however, includes the chemical production of coke-oven opera­tors and petroleum companies as well as of the tar distillers; hence goes beyond tar.

Because of these circumstances the out­put of such basic essentials as benzene, toluene, naphthalene, and xylene by tar processors and coke-oven operators de­clined, while the quantities produced by the petroleum plants in several instances

Source: U. S. Tar i f f Commission

was increased. Benzene can be considered the most important item provided by all three sources, and last year its aggregate production declined 5.3% to 251,667,000 gallons. But the petroleum industry, through platforming and other processes, offset the losses in coke-oven benzene in a measure, turning out 35,518,000 gallons, or almost 3 million more than in 1951.

The situation was the same in toluene and xylene. The total toluene supply was 3.8% better than the year before, owing to increased production from petroleum while the amounts turned out by coke-oven operators and tar distillers fell off. More was obtained, in fact, from the oil industry than from the two coal tar sources combined. Petroleum accounted

2970 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

New Text

New Text

A D V E R T I S E M E N T — T h i s entire page is a paid advertisement Prepared by U· S. Industrial Chemicals Co.

U.S.I. CHEMICAL NEWS July A Series for Chemists and Executives of the Solvents and Chemical Consuming Industries 1953

Inedible Fats, Oils, Yield New Vinyl Plasticizers

New plasticizers for vinyl plastics are now being made from inedible animal fats and vegetable oils, according to a recent announce­ment. The process was developed in the course of research by a Government agency to find new uses for surplus animal fats.

The process involves treatment of the acid portion of fats and oils with hydrogen per­oxide in such a way that a specially oxidized oil results. The method is simple, cheap and practical, and can be used with a wide variety of materials, it is said.

A big advantage claimed for the new plas­ticizers is that they protect plastics containing chlorine from the discoloration and weaken­ing caused by formation of hydrochloric acid when the plastic is exposed to heat or sunlight.

Methionine Alleviates Infant Diaper Rash

Recent clinical data released by a leading pediatrician has shown that DL-methionine can cure certain types of diaper rash. It was found that this condition could be traced to the présence of free ammonia in the urine, which is the result of a metabolic upset in nitrogen equilibrium. When DL-methionine was added to the infants' formulas, it was found to restore the proper nitrogen balance and make the rash disappear within 7 to 10 days. This use of methionine should lead to practical applications by practitioners con­fronted with stubborn cases of diaper rash or napkin dermatitis.

Booklet Covers Selection, Use of Paint Strippers

A new, 13-page booklet of instructions on paint stripping has been published describing procedures for stripping "practically any fin­ish" from all metals and woods. The booklet gives valuable hints on paint stripping gen­erally, and includes a reference chart to sim­plify selection of the right stripper for the job. The stripping of paints from vertical and overhead surfaces of all kinds are covered.

Soil Conditioners Rated

Results of tests conducted by an indepen­dent agricultural research service to rate the effectiveness of 16 commercial soil condition­ers are now available, it has been announced. The conditioners were tested for their per­formance in stabilizing soil aggregation in plots of silty, clay loam. Soil samples were examined before and after application over a period from July to December of last year. The report identifies the most effective syn­thetic conditioners as shown by these tests.

U.S.D.A. Scientists See Their Research Translated Into First

Full-Scale Allethrin Plant ILS.I. Honors Scientists Credited with First Successful

Synthesis of Allethrin; Public Inspection of Plant Held for Representatives of Government and Industry

Three of the scientists who first success­fully synthesized allethrin in the laboratory were recent guests of U.S.I. to see how their research has been translated into the nation's first full-scale plant for commercial produc-

Use Radioactive Dirt In Dishwashing Tests

Dirt and bacteria, made radioactive with phosphorus-32, are being used in current research to test the efficiency of cleansers in making eating utensils clean and safe. The research is part of a non-commercial organi­zation's program to develop a scientifically accurate yardstick for measuring dirt and bacterial removal from eating surfaces.

Studies so far have shown that different surfaces vary widely in their retention, with glass, china and stainless steel being the easi­est surfaces to clean. In one series of tests, washing removed from 97 to 99 per cent of the bacteria from hard surfaces. It was found by use of a Geiger counter and exposure to x-ray film that identical washings removed as little as 56 per cent from less hard surfaces.

tion of this important insecticidal chemical. The scientists are Drs. Milton S. Schechter,

Frederick B. LaForge, and Nathan Green, chemists of the U. S. Department of Agricul­ture who announced in March 1949 that they had synthesized a "pyrethrin-like" chemical in their laboratory. As early as May 1949, U.S.I, had adapted this complex synthesis— which involves 18 separate processes—to pro­duction of substantial quantities in the labora­tory. U.S.I, technologists evaluated the chem­ical, now designated as allethrin, in exhaustive tests and became convinced that it had a valuable place in insecticide formulations, al­though it was not the "synthetic pyrethrum" that some had thought when it first appeared. Production Now at Full Rated Capacity

The next step in allethrin's progress -was a long program of further chemical and entomo­logical research, and finally the engineering and construction of a fully integrated plant devoted exclusively to the production of alle­thrin. Since its opening last October, produc­tion of this new plant has increased each month to its full rated capacity. The men whose long research touched ι off this important addition to industrial chemistry were I

Wil l iam P. Marsh, Jr., (center). President of U.S.I., is shown discussing details of the complex allethrin manufacturing process wi th Dr. Milton S. Schechter (left) and Dr. F. B. LaForge (right), two s? the three U. S. Department of Agriculture scientists who were the first to separate and ident i fy the four active principles of pyrethrum and to synthesize one of them, allethrin, in the laboratory.

ADVERTISEMENT—This entire page is a paid advertisement Prepared by U. S. Industrial Chemicals Co.

July U.S.I. CHEMICAL NEWS 1953

CONTINUED Allethrin Plant

guests of honor June 3rd at U.S.I.'s formal public introduction of the plant in Baltimore.

Va luab le Adjunct to Py re th r i n s Allethrin is a close but not exact duplica­

tion of one of the constituents of pyrethrum— the oldest and one of the safest insecticides known. Its action on many species of insects, however, is quite different from that of the natural product, depending upon such factors as method of application, synergist used and others. It is an effective insecticide in itself, low in toxic hazards, and it serves as a valu­able adjunct to pyrethrins. In this way, it will help to spread the limited supplies of the nat­ural product, particularly in insecticides hav­ing low toxic hazards to humans and animals.

Allethrin is a valuable insecticidal agent. It is finding its greatest immediate usefulness in household aerosols and sprays designed primarily for the control of flies. In the case of aerosols, U.S.I, research has shown that combinations of allethrin and of allethrin and pyrethrins with piperonyl butoxide are both ef­fective and competitive with present formulas. Various combinations have been thoroughly tested, and U.S.I, has available for industry approved formulas and complete formulations, as well as the chemicals themselves, indi­vidually and in combination. Combinations of pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide are well-known in the industry under the U.S.I, trade name Pyrenone.

New Data on Proteins And Amino Acids in Feeds

A newly revised edition of the booklet en­titled "Proteins and Amino Acids in Animal Nutrition" has been made available to feed manufacturers and feed formulators by U.S.I. This article, written by a prominent nutrition­ist, presents the most recent data available on amino acid supplementation of vegetable pro­teins in feeds. Copies of this new revised edi­tion may be obtained by writing on your company letterhead to the Editor, U.S.I. Chemical News.

Find Ferric Chloride Checks Artery Hardening

The simple iron salt, ferric chloride, may prove to be the means for preventing or con­trolling hardening of the arteries, according to recently disclosed research. Lengthy tests on chickens, the best animals for studying this disease, have shown that ferric chloride blocks the fat-absorbing machinery of the body. By doing this, it keeps cholesterol—the offending component of fatty foods—from passing into the blood stream where it can form harmful deposits.

Experimental tests showed that cholesterol is absorbed from the intestinal tract with the aid of active salts in the bile. Ferric chloride, it was found, effectively inactivates this prop­erty of the bile salts, thus suppressing the passage of cholesterol into the blood stream. Even when test birds were put on high fat and cholesterol diets, the iron salt was able to keep fat and cholesterol in the blood at nearly normal levels. Microscopic studies of the arteries after four to six months showed that the birds had also been protected against arteriosclerosis, or artery hardening, accord­ing to the report.

New Freight Car Handles Dry Chemicals in Bulk

A new type of freight car, which is said to make practical and highly economical for the first time the bulk shipment and handling of a wide range of dry powdered materials, was put on display recently. Products for which the car is suitable include feed stuffs, chemicals, starches, and similar commodities previously considered impractical for bulk handling, according to the announcement.

Described as a radically new type of cov­ered hopper car, the equipment is claimed to make available to shippers substantial savings in containers, dunnage and labor. In addition to these savings, the car also provides im­proved sanitation and less danger of contami­nation of the product, it is said.

TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Information about manufacturers of these items may be obtained by writing U. S. / ·

A n e w waterproof, h e a t resistant adhes ive is descr ibed a s a thermosetting, seli-curincj cement which is neut ra l when cured and resistant to salt and fresh water , fungus, many ac ids , sol­vents , a n d lubricating oils. (No. 940)

A n e w non-drip Unless can for both thin a n d viscous mater ia l s features a turned in l ip on a nozzle which cuts off the flow of liquid after pouring. The plast ic cap closure is also a measur­ing device. (No. 941)

A fluorine-containing anesthetic, trifluoroetriyl vinyl ether, is claimed to be faster acting· and to reduce tremendously the fire and explosion haz­a rds associa ted with use of conventional e ther .

(No. 342) To control a l g a e , scale, and bacteria i n sp ray ponds , cooling towers, other -water applicat ions, compounds a r e ava i l ab le which will not pre­cipitate in a lka l ine wa te r , contain a wet t ing agen t for quick penetration, and will remove calcium ca rbona te scale, it is said. (No. 943)

A n e w c leaner a n d w a s h for aluminum, s ta in less steel, and chrome surfaces is claimed to L·e e a s y to use a n d to leave a n invisible coating- which protects aga ins t further discoloration. (No. 944)

For drilling holes in g lass , concrete, tile, p las ter , brick, stone, etc., a n e w type dril! for h a n d a n d power tools is a l so claimed to be ideal for drill­ing n e w holes in ha rdened dies, fixtures, tools, and broken s tuds . (No. 945)

A n e w non-ionic surface active agent, espec ia l ly tailored for emulsion pa in ts is said to b e both, a powerful emulsifying a n d wetting-out agent , a n d to b e effective in low concentrations. (No. 946)

To prevent rust ing of steel , cast iron, etc., during s torage, a n e w concentrate used in w a t e r solu­tion reportedly leaves a n almost invisible film which can protect the steel against rusting in 100% humidity for severa l weeks or more.

(No. 947)

A combinat ion flask a n d separator? funnel h a s a flat bottom for hea t ing , can be manipulated to d r a w off ei ther the heavier or lighter liquid, permits a var ie ty of chemical operations to L·e carr ied out without changing containers, t h e manufacturer s ta tes . (No. 948)

To s e a l out dampness a n d moisture in m a s o n r y , a n e w cement-based powder containing si l icones and metallic compounds is claimed to form a n irreversible, insoluble compound -which fills a n d expands in the pores and repels water. (No. 949)

ALCOHOLS Amyl Alcohol ( Isoamyl Alcohol) Butanol (Normal-Butyl Alcohol) Fusel Oi l—Refined Propanol (Normal-Propyl Alcohol)

Ethanol (Ethyl A lcohol ) Special ly Denatured—al l regular

and anhydrous formulas Completely Denatured—al l regular

and anhydrous formulas Pure—190 proof U.S .P . ,

Absolute—200 Proof Solox*—propr ietary solvent—

regular and anhydrous

ANTI-FREEZE Super Pyro* Anti -Freeze U . S . I . Permanent Anti -Freeze

ETHERS Ethyl Ether, U.S.P. Ethyl Ether, Absolute—A.C.S.

A C E T O N E — A . C . S .

ANSOLS Ansol* M Ansol* PR

ACETIC ESTERS Amyl Acetate—Commercial

and High Test Butyl Acetate Ethyl Acetate—al l grades Normal-Propyl Acetate

O X A L I C ESTERS Dibutyl Oxala te Diethyl Oxa la te

PHTHALIC ESTERS Diamyl Phthalate Dibutyl Phthalate Diethyl Phthalate

OTHER ESTERS D ia to l * Diethyl Carbonate Ethyl Chloroformate

RESINS (Synthet ic a n d N a t u r a l ) Arochem*—modified types Arodure*—urea - fo rma ldehyde resins A r o f e n e * — p u r e phenolics A r o f l a t * — f o r special flat finishes A r o f l i n t * —room temperature

curing phenolic A r o p l a z * — alkyds and a l l ied materials A r o p o l * —copolymer modified alkyds Ester Gums—al l types N a t u r a l Resins—all standard grades

INSECTICIDE M A T E R I A L S A l l e t h r i n CPR Concentrates: Liquid & Dust Piperonyl Butoxide Piperonyl C y c l o n n e Pyrenone* Concentrates: Liquid & Dust Pyrethrum Products: Liquid and Dust Rotenone Products: Liquid and Dust

INSECTIFUGE MATERIALS Indalone* T r i p l e - M i x Repellents

U.S. I nnusTRini. CHEmicnis Co Division of National Distillers Products Corporation

INTERMEDIATES Acetoacetani l ide Acetoacet-ortho-chloroani l ide Acetoacet-ortho-toluidide Acetoacet -para-chloroani l ide Ethyl Acetoacetate Ethyl Benzoylacetcte Ethyl Sodium Oxalacetate

FEED PRODUCTS Calc ium Pantothenate (Feed Grade) Chol ine Chloride Curbay B - G * DL -Meth ion ine (Feed Grade) N i a c i n , U.S.P. Riboflavin Concentrâtes Special Liquid Curbay* U . S . I . V i t amin B i 2 and

Ant ib io t ic Feed Supplements V a c a t o n e * 4 0

OTHER PRODUCTS Aceta ldehyde Meta l l ic Sodium Caustic Soda Methionine (Pharm.) Ethylene N-Acetyl DL- Methionine IPC ( I sopropy l -N - Nitrocellulose Soins.

Phenyl Carbamate ) PropionaldehyJe CI PC Propionic Acid Liquid Chlor ine Sulfuric Acid

Urethan, U.S.P. •Reg . U.S. Pat. Off.

Î20 BROADWAY, NEW YORK 5, Ν. Υ. BRANCHES IN ALL PRINCIPAL CITIES

>r 64 million gallons of the 105.2 million allons produced. Toluene is essential d TNT manufacture and greater pressure pr supplies came from the military.

Toluene and xylene normally are taken a important volume by industry for sol-tent purposes. Xylene has also become rital in the processing of terephthalic Lcid for synthetic fibers as well as for ahthalic anhydride. Its production in the iggregate from the three major sources leclined 5.2% to 71.7 million gallons, and ill shared in the loss.

The pyridine yield in this country ob-:ained by working tar bases has been far Erom adequate, and last year's crude production of 420,000 gallons was even lower, comparing with 537,000 gallons, all from coke-oven operators, turned out in 1951. The average cost of the crude pyridine so obtained also was higher at $1.85 per gallon. The pyridine require­ments for drugs, textiles, and other needs more recently are being met through synthetic pyridine processes.

Aliphatic Petrochemicals Slump. Pe­troleum and natural gas have been a con­stantly increasing source for crude chemi­cal materials over the past two decades. In 1952 the production of these products turned downward, due in a great measure to the less favorable economic picture during the first half of the year, and to smaller demand for hydrocarbons in the C* classification which are important to synthetic rubber manufacture.

The production of aliphatic chemicals generally from gas and petroleum materials slumped from 7 billion pounds in 1951 to 6.2 billion last year. This was not true, however, in the instance of the aromatics as noted elsewhere in this survey.

The important item in the C* hydro­carbon group, 1,3-butadiene grade for rubber, dropped from 1,222,411,000 pounds to 1,106,445,000 pounds. There were even greater percentage losses in 1-butene and 2-butene mixture.

The second most important category, the Ca hydrocarbons, reveals that even the production of ethylene fell off moderately (from 1,798,915,000 to 1,778,730,000 pounds) despite the growing require­ments of ethylene for ethanol, antifreeze, and other organic chemicals.

In view of predictions in political circles recently that the costs of some of these materials will be advanced when the synthetic rubber industry is sold to private operators, it will be interesting to look at the unit values for items in the ali­phatic group. The average for the buta­diene sold in 1952 was 0.141 cents per pound.

The Week's Events Industry Should Contribute More

to Basic Research 2975 Upjohn Completes Laboratory

Facilities at Kalamazoo . . . . 2978 Mathieson Starts Hydrazine Pro­

duction at Lake Charles Plant . 2980

DISPERSE MORE SOLIDS WITH

MARASPERSE THE < W cott, MORE EFFECTIVE DISPERSANT With the addition of only .05% to a maximum of 3.0% of MARASPERSE, (based on weight of solids), from 35% to over 300% MORE SOLIDS MAY BE DISPERSED and maintained in fluid suspension.

MARASPERSE dispersants are MORE EFFECTIVE and con-siderably MORE ECONOMICAL to use. They are com­pletely soluble in water; are non-hygroscopic, non-ferment­ing, non-caking, free-flowing powders.

MARASPERSE products are used in making water suspen­sions of organic pigments, sulfur, clays, titanium dioxide, carbon black, phenyl-beta-naphthylamine, etc., as dispersing and leveling agents for dyestuffs. Also as deflocculants and to increase strength in the manufacture of ceramic ware. As grinding aids and emulsifiers. In formulation of wettable powder insecticides, industrial cleaners, boiler water treatment chemicals. For mud control in oil well drilling operations.

Write for FUe No. 700 for additional in­formation on MARASPERSE products. You will receive complete and specific technical data. Our research staff will welcome the opportunity to cooperate with you.

MARATHON CHEMICAL DIVISION ROTHSCHILD, WISCONSIN

V O L U M E 3 1 , N O . 2 9 . . » » J U L Y 2 0, 1 9 5 3 S973

THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK

against 0.148 cents in 1951. The average cost for t h e butadiene sold to the govern­ment rubber plants is not given. Butène and butène mixtures obtained an average per p o u n d cost in 1952 sales of 0.031 cents.

Intermediate Production Losses. Inter­mediate chemicals, third largest classifica­tion in t h e Tariff Commission report from the standpoint of volume, were adversely affected i n 1952 by the operating cut­backs in textiles and dyestuffs. This group contains some 200 items derived from the coke oven and from petroleum, the annual outputs of which range any­where from a few thousand pounds to more than one million. Total intermediate production last year lost 6%, while sales declined as much as 14%.

T h e intermediate list also includes a number o f large-tonnage chemicals with only minor uses as such in the dye in­dustry. Some are phthalic anhydride, ani­line, monochlorobenzene, cresols, naph­thalene, &-naphthol, nitrobenzene, keryl-benzene, phenol, and styrene.

Phenol and the intermediate product in its manufacture, monochlorobenzene, both experienced smaller production as the result of the setback in phenolic resins. Phenol, made in several processes from benzene, "was turned out to the extent of 337.7 million pounds in contrast to the 388.4 million made the year before.

T h e extent t o wbich resin manufacturers make their own phenol in captive plants is still fairly large. Of the 337.7 million pounds produced, 55% was for sale.

Phthalic anhydride processed from domestic and imported crude napthalene, reacted to the smaller volume of phthalic alkyd resins, its output total declining from 248 million pounds in 1951 to 228.5 million in 1952. But phthalic anhydride is also important in the processing of plasti-

cizers that are employed for vinyl resins, and these phthalic chemicals receded no more than about 5%. The market posi­tion for industrial chemicals can become very complicated.

Styrene is the remaining intermediate of large production for consideration in the group, and its output showed a small loss, or from 706.7 million pounds to 699.6 million. The styrene decline was probably accounted for by lessened use in the polymerization of GR-S rubber. Its consumption for polystyrene plastics continued to expand in 1952.

Resins and Plastics Slip. Synthetic resins and plastics last year did not quite reach the record production of 2,441,432,-000 pounds set in 1951, due to a smaller volume of business in phenolics, vinyls, and phthalic coating comnounds. Gains were scored, however, b y the styrene poly­mer and copolymer group and by alkyds that are not based on phdialic anhydride (maleics) and the resins production al­together was brought up to a total of 2,333,924,000 pounds.

Both of the above totals fail to in­clude the cellulosics which were previ­ously computed by the Tariff Commission at 98,148,000 pounds for 1952, and of which some 6 million was cellulose nitrate.

The march of technology in the resins and plastics field is readily perceived in the government's report. The group leader of the past, vinyls, has now been passed in production volume b y the styrene and alkyd resins. Polystyrene has forged ahead as a low cost molding material for housewares. Polyester-resins are ^expand­ing constantly for iesin-glass-fiber prod­ucts of great^, strength^ίand theiprediction has been made tKat> ^demand' for; poly­esters will more than triple over tKe next five years. Their production last year was around 20 million pounds.

Raw materials difficulties, particularly supplies of benzene for phenol, are be­lieved to have affected the volume of phenolics during the early months of last year, as well as in 1951. As a result of this and some cutbacks at consuming plants, the output of phenolic and other tar acid resins came to 393.3 million pounds, or some 50 million below the 1951 result. It is worth noting that the unmodified phenolics, which have under­gone a good deal of development at the hands of the chemist, are now almost three times larger in volume than they were at the close of the war. The modified descriptions at the same time have had only a minor gain. Demand for phenolic coating resins probably was less urgent for military and nonmilitary uses in 1952, and the same may have been true for the phthalic alkyds. The latter fell off about 9 million pounds in production to 359 million pounds, but when the nonphthalic alkyd resins are added, the alkyd total for last year becomes 433.1 million pounds. Of this quantity something like 40% was retained by the resin producers for their own uses.

Vinyls, whose foremost outlets are still sheeting in many forms and types for varied applications, dropped about 56 million pounds during the year to a total of 420 million. This is another group which is witnessing tremendous technologi­cal and market development.

The most talked of plastic today is poly­ethylene, whose flexible and rubbery properties have given us the squeezable-container, but whose possibilities in pack­aging, especially for frozen foods, and for other uses, far transcends its present applications. ' Current production, ac­counted for b y D u Pont and Carbide and Carbon Chemicals, is approximately 150 million pounds a year but three years

2974 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK

hence, when new projects and capacity expansions at present plants are completed, this total may rise above 500 million pounds. As current output is accounted for by only two manufacturers, the Tariff Commission has included polyethylene production in a group with acrylic, poly-amide (nylon) , and other nonbenzenoid plastics and resins. For 1952 this group figure was 189,551,000 pounds.

Agricultural Chemicals. One of the organic chemical groups which has come up rapidly in recent years, pesticides and related products, suffered a production setback from 463.9 million pounds in 1951 to 417.6 million last year. This can be traced directly to severe drouth condi­tions in a number of states during 1952 which checked insect infestation.

As against the recession in insecticides, volume continued to gain in cyclic herbi­cides and plant hormones, the output of which reached the record figure of 65,-462,000 pounds, or 13.5 million more than the year before. In this field the volume is largely accounted for by 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid salts and esters and by 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its derivatives.

D D T , benzene hexachloride, and para-thion, all shared in the smaller insecti­cide business during 1952. The output of parathion (Ο,Ο-diethyl O- 79-nitro-phenyl thiophosphate ) was cut in half at 2,365,000 pounds. In 1951 the industry had turned out more than 100 million pounds of D D T . Last year, because of drouth conditions in the cotton belt and other crop areas D D T production fell slightly below that total.

An interesting entry in the commission's pesticide summary is the first report on soil conditioners of the polyelectrolyte type. The production last year was 2,-833,000 pounds and probably was ac­counted for mostly by conditioners which are acrylic derivatives. Of this amount only 1,485,000 pounds were actually marketed, and the unit value of these sales was 72 cents per pound.

Gains were scored by fungicides and seed disinfectants, both in the cyclic and acyclic groups. The former, consisting of naphthenic acid and copper salts, were turned out to the extent of 54.6 million pounds, a gain of more than 5 million over the year before. Fungicides and seed dis­infectants in the acyclic group consisted chiefly of dimethyldithiocarbamic sodium salt and zinc salt (Ziram). Output of the latter was a bit lower at 934,000 pounds.

The smaller volume of business in in­secticides generally was accompanied hy lower prices for this organic group.-On the. basis of jthe 'Tariff% Commission's compila­tion, all insecticides in thé cyclic 'group declined in sales unit value to 34 cents at&ouxid, from 42"cents the year before. Those of acyclic description on the other hand rose to $1.01, from an average of 81 cents in 1951. The latter group repre­sents a much smaller volume of production and sale than the cyclic insecticides.

C & E N REPORTS: Amer ican Society f o r Engineering Education

Industry-Sponsored Basic Research Could Avert Government Control

University participation in basic w a y to better engineers for industry

research leads

GAINESVILLE, F L A . - A warning against a dependence on government research was sounded by Carl F. Prutton, Mathieson Chemical Corp. Increased research activi­ties by our Federal Government and the effect of this on both our education system and on industry was a topic of much dis­cussion at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Educa­tion held here a* the University of Florida.

The urgent .eed of research funds in our engineering schools facilitates in­creased government support of research projects. This could lead to indirect or direct control by Government of a large section of our advanced education system. The uncertainty of government contracts, Prutton went on to say, creates an un­wholesome atmosphere for the campus.

Sharing Dr. Prutton's opinion was J. W. Barker, Research Corp., who pointed out that because government research con­tracts are dependent upon Congressional appropriations from year to year there is and can be no assurance of continuity. Furthermore, because engineering is ap­plied science, the tendency is toward ap­plied or development research, thus leav­ing the vast majority of fundamental research to physicists and chemists. If these developments crowd our engineer­ing school research facilities and engage the major attention of our engineering faculties, there is little room for basic en­gineering research which ought to be the primary objective in our schools.

Faculty Improvements. Although tech-

Carl F. Prutton, · Mathieson Chemical

Corp., describes the necessity of basic

research in engineering schools

nical engineering papers were presented at the meeting, the essence of the meeting was directed toward ways to improve the quality of college engineering teachers so that the quality of knowledge transmitted to engineering students will be improved. Industry feels that participation by engi­neering professors in fundamental research is a necessary requisite to being a good teacher. Industry is therefore interested in the training of its future leaders. Dr. Prutton believes more basic research in the schools should aid in obtaining the type of teacher required, a high type of student, and an improved training of these better students to supply the forward-looking industrial leaders of tomorrow.

Research Support. To date, the Gov­ernment is making the major contribution to basic research rather than industry. About $72 million dollars is now being spent for basic research in nonprofit or­ganizations, Eric A. Walker, chairman of the Engineering College Research Council declared. Accordingly, figures from Cor­nell University show that of the $9,451,-000 it has available from sponsored re­search, industry supports about 8%, foun­dations about 9%, other support 5%, and the federal and state governments 78%. At Cornell, two thirds of federal and state support comes in the form of budgeted or statutory funds, said Richard Par-menter, Cornell's coordinator of research. He said that the remaining one third or about $2.5 million comes to the university in the form of government contract re­search, and it is this support that appears to cause anxiety among educators.

However, Dr. Walker did commend government agencies for their support of basic research in small schools. He said that the Engineering College Research Council recognizes and salutes the activi­ties of these organizations in trying to stimulate research in small schools and in areas which do not have a tradition of creative thinking in engineering, he said.

What is keeping industry from con­tributing more to basic research? Laws of incorporation in many of our states pre­vent contributions to educational activities. Moreover, stockholders may also bring legal action to restrict contributions, ex­plained Dr. Prutton^ Further^cpujt..,deci­sions like that made Bg^^igé^Stemc^of the New Jersey Superior CÔî^Çmâ^not only relieve boards of directofsjo£. corporations of their apprehension in making contribu­tions to educational institutions but also their obligation to do so.

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