Physical chemistry - ACS Publications

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APRIL. 1955

237

of the lectures and discussions held a t the Laboratory for Insulation Research a t the Messachusetts Institute of Technology in September, 1952. I n all, 22 writers collaborated. They include representatives from university, industrial, and federal laboratories. Both producers and consumers of dielectrics are included in the industrial panel. The session was deliberately planned t o bring together the academic approach of "Why?" and t,hn oractieal attitude of "How?" and "What's i t eood for?" Bv

Dcvitrifieation; 111, Composition; IV, Chemical Durability; V, Viscosity; VI, Annealing; VII, Surface Tension; VIII, Heat Capacity; IX, Thermal Conductivity; X, Density; XI, Coefficient of Expansion; XII, Elastic Properties; XIII, Strbngth; XIV, Thermal Endurance; XV, Hardness; XVI, Optical Properties; XVII, Electrical Conductivity; XVIII, Dielectric Properties; XIX, Magnetic Properties; XX, Constitution. The eeneral index of the first edition has been reolaced b v senarate

the symposium. The collection opens with a 43-page summary of theory. I n it, von Hippel covers the salient points of the companion volume and naturally pla~iarizes himself freely. The second aection covers experim&tal methods of measuring properties of nonmetals; it includes bridge, resonance, and wave-guide techniques for determining complex permittivity. Measuring instruments and methods of using them are described in practical detail. Next, brief reviews of ferromagnetic measurements, microwave spectroscopy, and magnetic resonance are presented. The third section deals with applications. Gases, liquids, plastics, and ceramics are first discussed as classes of mrtterisls. Then applications of these materials as insulators in cspacitors, cable, and other equipment are reviewed. The treatment ranges all the way from purely empirical to abstract thearctical, and suggests that there was s. free exchange of ideas between the two schools s t the symposium. "Tho last ward in this discussion is properly left to a cable engineer who knows from hitter experience that not. the office and laboratory, but deserts and sewers are the final proving ground for his product." Next, dielect~iesas rectifiers, transducers, amplifiers, and memory devices are summarized. The discussion closes with statements by represent~tivesof the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy concerning the reasons underlying same of the specifications for dielectrics which have been set up by the armed services. The last section of the book is a photographic reproduction of the "Tables of Dielectric Materials," which contain electrical properties of about 600 materials

four, and five components. Those familiar with the first edition will find much of it incorporated, unchanged, in the new edition. Entire paragraphssometimes whole sections-have slipped by unchallenged. Far example, the following statements appear in the new edition exactly as they did in the first edition, 16 years and one world war earlier (italics are used by t h i reviewer for emphasis): "Much of this increase in knowledge was the direct product of the enforced extension of the optics1 glass industry during the Wa7" (page 19). ". . .one of the important post-way developments in Amenca" (page 78). "Some recent publications on t h e coefficient of expansion of glass,. . ." (page 270). (The letest date is 1934.) I n the first edition the author quoted three dictionary definitions of glass ("The Century," 1914; the "New Standard," 1932, and "Webster's New International," 1935). These three quotations and the references appear, unchanged, in the ncw edition (page 23). Recent revisions of these same works, a8 well as foreign dictionaries, were ignored. A table from the first edition (Table I 3 ) , showing world-wide glass production in the mid-thirties, appears, unchanged, in the new edition (Table 1-3). The author explains that: "Present world conditions are such that it is not possible t o bring it up to date." But the reader will probably feel that he deserves, a t this point, such fragmentary data as are available. I n spite of such inadequacies in the revision, Dr. Morey has produced, in both the original and the revised editions, a n excellent auxiliary textbook of physical chemistry. He meticulously introduces each topic with a consideration of the principles involved and definitions of the terms and units employed. His "teat" is most notable for its treatment of heterogeneous equilibria and far its comprehensive phase diagrams.

chemically defined compounds, and as such represent properties of individual samples. This book is recommended for the libraries of industrial rescareh laboratories and technological schools. The ~citdemic man will find many thing8 in it to stimulate his curiosity, and it may serve to increase his respect for the practical man who must obtain a solut,ion lor his problem, regardless of whether or not there exists a theoretical baais of approach. As in many other fields, art is still ahend of science in practical dielectrics. RAYMOND M. FUOSS Umv~namr NEW HAYEI. CONNECTICUT YAGG

THE PROPERTIES OF GLASS George W. Morey, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, D. C. Second edition. A. C. S. Monograph No. 124. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1954. 591 pp. 157 figs. 192 tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $16.50.

THE first edition of this work, which appeared in 1938 as No. 7 of the A. C. S. Monograph Series, quickly won recognition as an authoritative reference and guide to research. I n his preface to the new ed~tion,the author states, "I have tried t o include a11 new measurements on glasses of known camnosition, with especial emphasis on systematic ~tudies. I n addition, much new material has been included on complex and commercial glasses, on theoretical speculations, as well as new sections an the effect of heat treatment on the properties of glass, and of absorbed radiation." The original chapter headings have heen retained in the revision: I, History and Definition; 11,

ROSS A. BAKER S*N DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

A. 1. Rutgers, University of Ghent, Belgium. Interscienoe Pub804 pp. Many figs. and lishers, Inc., New York, 1954. xviii tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $8.50.

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THIS new book, an English translation of the original Dutch edition, points up very eleerly the wide difference in scientific background imparted t o the European student as contrasted with in the American. In addition t o the usual tonirs nrespntd A.~ ...al-. most all physical chemistry texts, such as properties of gases, olassical and statistical thermodynamics, equilibria, ionic and nonionic solutions, kinetics, and atomic and molecular structure, Rutgers includes fundamental theoretical topics such as the Maxwellian field equations, classical theoretical meehsnics, snd wave mechanics, as well as a chapter by Alfrey on the physical chemistry of high polymers. The truly distinctive character of this book lies in its viewpoint, so very different from American texts in it,s method of pre~entation. First, as emphasized by Debye in his foreword, new subjects are introduced with s historical perspective, that is, they are described in the way they were originally conceived and subsequently developed. Thus, the student becomes aware of the actual character of research in conceptual fields, whereas s. strictly logical deductive development may leave him more impressed on aesthetic grounds but utterly confused as to how the basic principles were conjured ~~L~~~~

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION

238 up in the first place. Second, each subject is developed rigorously and fully, rather than in a sketchy introductory manner on the assumption that subsequent courses will go over the same ground in a rigorous fashion. This book is eminently suited in this country for graduate students in chemistrv. On the other hand. because af differences in our methods of oreanizatian of courses as well as our philopophy of presentation, 1lutgw.i would not br suitahle s p a rourw in physival rht.ntistrv. text for thr uw#l un~lcrgr.aluxt~ Thrrr is the minor invonvmiww tll;tr prohlrms :lrr nor prrwnt for student drill, although occasional numerical examples are worked out in tbe discussion, particularly in connection with thermadynernic computations. This difficulty could he overcome readily by combining this text with a problem book such as Sillen, Lctnge, and Gabrielson, or Noyes and Sherrill. On the other hand, it would not be feasible under normal current arrangements to cover a major fraction of Rutgers in a typical one-year undergraduate course; and certain parts of it require a background in physics far beyond that of the normal entrant to a. first course in physical chemistry. With but little reflection, it becomes apparent that the Rutgers approach is more economical with the student's time in the long run. Furthermore. students comnletine our usual undermad~

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srtieul~toin the language of theoretical chemistry. I, M, KLOTZ

because it is the most convenient and comprehensive reference work in a now very extensive field. WILLIAM G. CHACE TECANoLOOIC*L

lNaTzTUTE

L o w s ~ M*es*c"nsm~s ~.

SYNTHETIC RUBBER Edited by G. S. Whitby, C. C. Davis, and R. F. Dunbrook. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. New York, 1954. xi 1044 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24 cm. $18.

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AN ENORMOUS amount of recently acquired knowledge was organized and classified to produce this book, which will be a standard source hook for m n y years to come. The gratitude of the rubber industry is owed to the editorial board for a well designed volume, and to the many contributors for coherent, readable chapters on their individual specialties. The appearance of this treatise now is especially timely as the prospect arises of the American synthetic ruhher industry's coming entirely under the direction of private ownership within the near future. This volume is divided into 26 chapters, a name index, and IL subject index. Each chapter is followed by its bibliography of from 50 to 300 references. The name index is complete, in that it includes authors both as they appear in the text and in the bihliographical references. Professor Whitby's introduction m k e s plain the extent of postwar usage of synthetic rubber in the United States. For instance, in the third quarter of 1951. 64 oer cent of the United States' rubber consumption was synthetic,'five-sixths of this pel.. centaee beine GR-S tvoes and one-sixth heinz the sneoialt,~nnh-hers, ~ u t y l , ~ ~ e o ~nitrile r e n ~rubber, ; etc. %he editor-in-chief illuminates several topics, incidentally pointing out the road for further advances, such as improvement of heat transfer in pollp merieation reactions, improved homogeneity of polymers, elucidation of the nature of reinforcement, and further development of specialty polymers. In conclusion he commends the enlightened direction of the covernment research nromam on svnthetir ruhher. After a brief historical review (Chapter 2), five chapters cover the preparation of materials, summarizing the manufacture of dimes from petroleum, hutadiene from alcohol, other methods of diene preparation, the manufacture of styrene, and the msnufacture of GR-S. The next three chapters outline the fundamental knowledge on formation, makeup, and properties of elastomers under the headings of emulsion polymerimtion, chemical study of structure, and the physical chemistry of polymers and copolymers. Chapters 11 through 16 describe the industrial application of the GR-S type of synthetic, namely, processing and compounding of GR-S, testing methods, aging properties of GR-S, general compounding on GR-S, and, more generally, the application of synthetics to wire and cables, and synthetic hard rubber. Four chapters explain more or less unrelated fields, the reclaiming of synthetic ruhher (which is really s. problem in reclaiming mixtures of natural and synthetic), synthetic rubber resins, the expanding field of GR-S latex, and latex mesterhatching. Other types of rnhber take up the five ensuing chapters, one summarizing the explorations on dime polymers and copolymers other then GR-S, and one each discussing Neoprene, nitrile rubber, Butyl, and miscellaneous synthetics. The finel chapter on Germm developments covers the polymer types made abroad, the German work on redox polymerization, and the methods of testing their rubbers. There is much material on natural rubher scattered throughout the volume, because Hevea is the blank on so many measurement? of elastomer properties. A comparison of this work with "The Chemistry and Technology of Rubber," the Davis and Blake monograph of 1937 to which many of the same authors contributed, will show how far scientific knowledge of elastomers has progressed in the ensuing yeara. Since Butyl is simpler structurally thnn the other imporhnt

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TEXTILE FIBERS Merritt Edited

Herbert R.

Diredor, Textile Department, Fairleigh

wileYa sons, I,,=,, N~~ york, 1g54, edition, pp. Illustrated. 15 X 23 cm. $16.50.

rger,

Sirth + 1283

EVERYONE who bas worked in the field of textile chemistry has heard of "Matthews," and most have used the hook sometime in the years since 1904 when the first edition was published. Although many works have appeared since that first edition, Matthews' "Textile Fibers" has held a leading placeasan author itative source of information on all aspects of the fibers used by the textile industry. As the industry advanced the hook was repeatedly revised. This sixth edition brings the work up to d a b on the newer synthetic fibers. . himself; The first four editions were the work of ~ r Matthews the fifth and sixth have been compiled by a staff of contributors, under the editarship of H. R. Mauersberger. The first chapter gives a very broad survey of the entire field of fiher science, covering much the same material as the first two chapters of the fifth edition. This is followed by a comprehensive chapter on the chemistv of celhdose. Further dong there is an adequate chapter on the chemistry of wool. The coverage of the chemistry of the synthetic, high-polymer fibers is, however, very brief. The book contains many excellent photomicrographs of fibers, those of cotton being especially noteworthy. The important subject of fiher identification, analysis, and t e s t ing is well covered io a chapter by Professor E. R. Schwarz, of M. I. T. The volume has grown from a textbook, which it was when Matthews first wrote it, to a reference source. The very extensive coverage of chemied, physical, commericd, and manufacturing data, with references to original sources, makes this book an invaluable fount of infarmstion on any textile fiher. When this reviewer entered the textile field, it was: "Look it up in Matthews," because Matthews was the only source of information on fihers; today it is: "Look it up in Matthews,"

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