The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-04
DEVOURS LIKE FIRE.
THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS PRoDuc-
Ed BY FLuORINe.
The Diamond Only Able 20 Absolutely RE-
sist This Powerful solvent Researches
Into the Nature of Hitherto Poorly
Known Chemical Element

Into the Nature of Hitherto Poorly
Known Chemical Element
The alchomists of the middle ages be.
lieved that somewhere In the universe
was to be found universal solvent
which would dissolve the most refrac-
tory substances as readily as water dis
solves sugar. They named their solvent
liquor alkahest, and what time they
could spare from the search after tho
elixir of life and the philosophers
stone was spent in the endeavor to OBJ
tain it, Science has yet to prove. by the
way, that there was not more method
in the maduess of tho alchtmists than
is generally supposed for ia the re-
markable substance fluorine chemists
possess material that approximates very
closely to universal solvent. Its chem
ical energy is so fierce that. except gold
and platinum, nothing can resist 1t, and
even gold and platinum succnmb to
f1uorine In time. The mere contact ID
most substances with fluorine is suffi-
ciont to cause not mere solution, but
light, flame and fierce detonations.
Dull, inert flint takes fire when exposed
to fluorine vapor and becomes bril-
liant incandescent mass. Lampblack
bursts into flame. while charcoal burns
with bright scintillations Only the
diamond IL able to resist this powerful
solvent, to which it does not succumb
even at high temperature. The similar
element silicon, which can be obtained
in crystalline form closely resembling
the diamond, gives "a magnificent dis
play i'm the presence of fluorine. tho
crystals becoming white hot and throw
ing showers of fiery spangles in all di-
rections The heat is so intense that tho
crystals melt, showing that their TEN.
perature has reached /, 200 degrees q.
Phosphorus combines fiercely with
fluorine, Prussian blue. on account of
the cyanogen it contains, burns with
beautiful pink fame; while from
crystal of iodine placed in fluorine vapor
heavy liquid distills with pale flame.
This liquid-an iodide of fuorine---
etches glass. and IL thrown into water
hisses like hot iron. The last named
metal becomes white hot when exposed
to fluorine even iron rust behaves IA
similar manner Nearly all metals are
raised to vivid incandescence in cur.
rent Of the gas, many appearing very
beautiful, especially aluminium and
zinc. II the latter be slightly warmed,
it bursts into white fame too dazzling
to gaze ut or describe.
Although it has been known i'm vari-
GUS states of combination for many
years, having been first discovered by
Schwankhardt Of Nuremberg, In 1870,
and rediscovered by Scheele in I771,
fluorine was not obtained as fuorine in
the free state until about si.: years ago.
when the French chemist Moissan sue
ceeded in isolating 1t by employing q
current Of electricity from 90 or 2S
Bunsen batteries. Tho current was pass
cd through the compound of fuorine
and hydrogen known as hydrofluoric
acid, which is similar to hydrochloric
acid. To improve the conductivity of
tho hydroiluorio acid it was necessary
to dissolve another fiuorine compound
in the liquid AS will readily be imag.
ined, it is not 30 difficult to obtain free
fluorine as to keep it when obtained.
Every part of the apparatus used by M.
Moissan was made of platinum, with
screw joints and washers of lead, which
swell on contact with fluorine, all the
shoppers being of fluorspar. Fluorine
has powerful affinity for silicon. one
Of the principal constituents of glass, so
that 1t WAS impossible to use glass yes.
sells or tubes to contain the gas.
As regards the chemical nature of
fuorine, it is q gas ut ordinary temper
ature and is the lightest member of the
series of elements containing chlorine.
bromine and iodine. The attraction of
fuorine, for hydrogen exceeds that Of
chlorine and is so great that il a slow
current Of fiuorine gas be passed into q
tube of fuorspar containing drop Of
water dark fog is produced, which
changes presently to q blue vapor con-
sisting of ozone-the condensed form Of
oxygen. The last named substance ap-
pears to be one of the few materials
which has no affinity for fiuorine. Moth
ing is observed to take place between
them even when they are heated up to
1000 degrees +.
So far all experiments had been con.
Quoted with fluorine gas, which, at the
time it was isolated, resisted all at
tempts to reduce it to the liquid state.
Six years ago. however, there was no
laboratory--such as that at the Royal
Notwithstanding powerful machinery
for producing liquid air or liquid oxy-
gen at the command of the investigator.
In fact, liquid air itself was practically
unknown. BY the aid of this weapon
Professors Dewar and Moissan have sue
ceeded in liquefying fuorine. At the
extremely low temperature Of liquid
oxygen it was found that fuorine did
not attack glass, and it was possible to
use glass vessels to hold the newly lique.
fed element %. +. Townsend In
Knowledge.
A Tough Route.
Somewhere in the south, +" says Con.