The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-15
USES OF SOLUBLE GLASS.

USES OE SOLUBLE GLASS.
The following communication, from a
practical chemist, showing forth the valu-
able properties of soluble glass, will be
found very instructive, and no doubt it
will attract attention:
This substance, which is a silicate of soda,
was discovered in 1925 by Professor Fuchs, of
Munich, Bavaria, and it created considerable
sensation at the time. Its power of resisting
the presence of the king, and severa eminent
scientific gentlemen. A small hut was prepar-
ed, having its boards saturated with the sill
cate, andit resisted all attempts to destroy it by
fire. 1t was not. however, until within few
years past that its merits as protective coating.
and as vehicle in the painting arts, came to be
generally appreciated. Lebig was really the
first chemist who successfully directed public
attention to its versatile qualities, and since
then its use has been extending. At the Paris
Exhibition Of Industry, Huffman, u distinguish
ed French chemist, exhibited its application as
a substitute for lnseed oil in the mixing of
paints, and as transparent surface varnish for
wood, brick, stone, and metals. As substi-
tute for lnseed oil, it is ground up with the
paints, has no offensive smell, soon dries, is
more durable and purer in color. and at the
same time is not above half the price. Chalk.
whitening, baryta lampblack, utramarne in
dian red, terra sienna, and various other pig
ments, mix readily with the soluble glass, as
does blanc Gre-a precpitated sulphur of barry
ia, flvorite brilliant white pigment now used
in Europe. FrescO and stereo-chromic paint.
ing are now executed in soluble glass as a We
hcle, and the effect is brilliant. 1t is now en-
plOyed for mixing with some cOlOrs as a substi-
tute for gum and starch, and as detergent in
place of ammoniacal substances; also for wash
ing, as substitute for soap. 1t is EMPLOYED
for this purpose in the state prison at Vandau.
in Prussia. 1t has also been used for mixing
with the pigments or colors in oilcloth printing,
and for white military BELTS when combined
with Paris white. 1t is also a good varnish for
paintings, and such documents as are designed
for long preservation; also for all kinds OF me
tails, to preserve their polish and to prevent
municatiOn coated several thousand cannon
balls with it in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in
1882, and they remained for several years unaf-
fected by the atmosphere By coating the
walls of cellars or underground apartments with
it, they are preserved from dampness; and it
protects rails, bridges, and soft sandstone sur
faces from being destroyed by the action Ofrains
and the atmosphere. When mixed with mar
BILE dust and Stacked lime it forms a hard ce-
ment, and with ground tourspar it will make
blocks nearly as hard as iron. cement COM
posed OF equal parts of soluble glass; white clay
in powder, pumice stone, and ten parts of sand,
becomes very hard and can scarcely be sur
passed for making roofing. a -~
As protective against fires, soluble glass,
perhaps, holds the most important position es-
pecially in our country, where we have SO many
wooden structures, and because we suffer such
immense losses annually by fires. On Tuesday,
the 18th inst, the railroad bridge at Hamilton,
G. W., was destroyed by fire from spark of
the locomotive. Had it been coated with solu-
BILE glass, at an expense of only a few dollars.
(ffty cents per gallon for the liquid it would
have been standing yet.l In vol. xiii, page 165,
Scientific American, some experiments are de-
scribed in the Wog9wieh marshes, England, on
wooden hut, inaSrdefF to test its fre-preven-
tive properties; these were very successful.
The surface Of the timber. was merely washed
with thin coating Of the siicitate, yet although
the planks were submitted to a very high heat,
in fact a roasting temperature they did not
blaze, they merely singed away, and when the
fire was put out they presented a charred APP
pearance. AS a fire preventive for steamers
and all wooden structures-to which 1t may be
applied as q coating-it certainly would insure
greater safety Of life and property.