Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-04-23
ALUMINIUM.
Something About the Production
and Uses Of tine Lightest OF Metals.

and Uses Of tine Lightest OF Metals.
1t was reported some time ago that
William Frishmuth, "a German-American
chemist of Philadelphia, had discovered
new process for producing aluminium
ut Improbable cost of not over $l.25 per |
pound, about one-twelfth of the pnce
heretofore ruling. The largest SINGLE
block OF this metal yet manufactured
now surmounts the lofty shaft OF the
Washington monument.
Aluminium is nude only from its oxide, |
aluminu. This is found everywhere,
there being more III the ground than
there is VI iron. The French clay, /
bauxite, and the English and Irish alum
clays, all existing i'll mexhaustible guam
titles, contain very high percentages Of
alulninn which can be extracted Ut very |
low cost Bnuxite contains 90 per cent.
of alunina, md cnu he land down ill New
York ut $S per ton. The GreenluiId
cryolite is, however, more suitable thhn
these clays, being almost entirely tree
from iron, and is n natural combination
of chemicals best suited 10 make the
metal. Alumina made from eryOilte COSTS
10 cents per pound, but this can lie
materially cheapciIrd when treated IN
large Quantities. Pure nn-hydrOus
alumina cun be made from bauxite at
cost of not over five cents per pound
This contains 53 per cent. of metallic
aluminium. The process heretofore EN-
Moved TO obtain the aluminium from the
oxide has been by treating its chloride
with metallic sodium us reducing agent.
| The great difficulties experienced, how
ever, in handling this dangerous material
and its very great cost--nbout $3 per
pound-haye made the process too
difficult and expensive.
In the process employed by Frishmuth,
instead of using metallic sodium he uses
u yapor produced or generated i'll suitable
retorts from mixture of carbonate OF
sodium or other suitable compounds OF
sodium and carbon or some other re-
ducing agent. This sodium vapor is
made to react upon the aluminous
materials, the product being the metal
aluminium. In the old process known ms
the DE Vile, 10 produce 20 pounds of
aluminium, SO pounds of metallic sodium,
costing not less than $3.50, are required
BY that of Frishmuth, ll5 pounds OF
carbonate of sodium, costing one cent
per pound, are used. Both processes
employ the double chloride of aluminium
and sodium, and FrishInuth has taken out
: n patent for the use of the double tiuoride
of aluminium and sodium in making the
former metal. He has also made improve
ments in making the double chloride Of
aluminium and sodium, reducing its cost
i to few cents per pound and eonse-
. quently reducing the cost of producing
the metal, the saving, in fact, being
| almost as much us the substitution of the
!, sodium mixture for the metallic sodium
Il He has also devised methods whereby the
wear and tear ON the retorts, crucibles
and other apparatus are lessened. This
= has hitherto been u notable item iii thu
= cost of manufacture. The metal thu,
manufactured is superior in quality
y to that made in the sole factory in France
being purer and whittier. Its specific
I gravity is 2.73 rs compared to 10 TO
K silver. Its quality has been tested il
New York, London md Paris, and !
q readily sold ut the market price. Th
e manufacture at Philadelphia thus far ha
e been in the experimental and developing
1t way, but the product has been man.
s. thousands of ounces
The uses of the metal are alInos
lie illimitable. Being only about one
II quarter the weight of other metals, il vii
Ie be substituted for these i'll countless ways
p For lightning rods, telegraph and electri
A. light wires it will come into use, ms, witt
d the exception of silver, it is the best con
ductor Of electricity known. Already
" notwithstanding its excessive cost il
IT Europe, it is being substituted for tn
metal buttons, buckles, and in fact all tn
nj Announcements Of the uniform of tn
,r soldier, the weight of these bein
/. lessened SO greatly that he is enabled I
ar carry from 30 to 40 additional cartridge
Ia without increasing the load hithert
n borne. 1t is non-corrosive and will NJ
g tarnish md is expected TO eventually SUI
= plant the other metals for domestic user
nj and it is also anticipated TINT, owing
these qualities, it will supersede the us
of brass. II will also be used for subs
y diary coins Specimens of these hay
:" been made, and after handling ia
u months show no signs of wear and as ar
~ bright as the day they were struck. A
" an alloy, however, ii will prove of til
~ greatest value, especially when combine
" with silver and copper, giving to thes
- metals its non-corrosive and nor
u furnishing qualities and greatly increasin
=. their tensile strength, Aluminium bronz,
'' which is made from 30 parts of cope
and 10 parts of aluminium, has tensi
|
IL more than Bessemer steel. This has lie
ms to careful investigation of the possibi
* tiles of the composition for the use
Id ordnance, and already the Russian eng
'st neers and chiefs of the army are expeI
y. inenting with it for field pieces. The
er huye thus far resulted successfully, Il
:: weight being so much reduced that whe
n il has been hitherto difficult for horses
'el draw guns of six-pound calibre, the II
of 12-poundcrs and even larger guns
he now practicable. Aluminium bron
he ordnance will thus probably soon becor
III portion of the equipment, not only
he the Russian service, but of all the armi
lite of Europe. Frishmuth has also invent
if IL solder for aluminium which Yields
,u- metal with itself OF with copper, ii
iss lead, or iron. The color is the same
of that of the metal.