The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-15
DEy0URs LIKE FIRE.
TIE WONDERFUL EFFECTS PRoDUc-
ed 81 FLCoRlNE-

Tie D1zncnd os.Iy Able 70 Absolutely Re-
si.t This Forerfni solvezsf- Researches
Iuts the Nature Of Hiths--o Poorly
Known Cbemf-Ai Ele7ent-
The aIcheuisfs Of the middle ayes be-
Ieged that somewhere in the universe
was % he found a 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 the
elixir Of life and the philosophers
stons was spent In the endeayor 70 OBJ
tain It Science has yet TO prove. BY the
way, that there was not mere method
10 she madness Of the aicbemists than
Is generally supposed, for in the re-
rnzrkzbIe substance fGoxine chemists
possess material that spproximates very
closely 20 a universal solvent Its chem
cal energy Is 20 fierce that. except eold
and platinum. nothing can resist it. and
even gold and platinum s1ccunb to
fucrine in time The mere co1tact Of
most substances with fnorine il sEfh-
cient 70 caass not msze solution. but
light, fame and Eercs detoustioDs.
DulI, inert flint takes fire when exposed
20 fuorine vapor and becomes bril-
liant incandescent mass Lampblack
bursts into fame. while charcoal burns
with bright scintillatioDs. Only ths
diamond IS able 10 resist this powerful
solvent, to which IL does not s1ccumb
even az high temperature The similar
element silicon, which can be Obtained
10 a crystalline form closely resembling
the diamond, gives magnificent dis
play in the presence Of fu0rine. the
crystals becoming white hot and throw
ing showers Of fiery spangles ID all d.
rections. The heat is 50 intense that the
crystals melt, showing that their tenn
perat1re has reached /, 200 degrees G.
PhCspborus combines fercely with
fuorine. Prussian blue, On account Of
the cyauogen il contains, burns with
beautiful pink fame; while from a
crystal of iodine placed IN finorine vapor
a heavy liquid distills with pale fame
This hguid-an iodide Of fuorine-
etches glass, and IL thrown into water
1A--CE 44EE 1Dt 44lls L-AD Aa-e AAeA-4-C-
metal becomes white hot when exposed
to fiu0rine; even iron rust behaves in a
similar manner. Nearly all metals are
raised 70 vivid incandescencs in a cur
rent Of the gas, many appearing very
beautiful, especially aluminium and
zinc If the latter be slightly warmed,
it bursts into a white fame too dazzling
10 gaze at or describa-
Although it has been known in vari-
ous states Of combination for many
years. having been first discovered by
Schwankhardt Of Nuremberg. in 1910.
and rediscovered by ScheeIe in I77l,
fuOrine was not obtained n f1oriDe in
the free state until about six years ago.
when the French chemist Moissan sue
ceeded in isOlating it by employing a
current Of electricity from 90 or %
Bunsen batteries The current was pass
cd through the compound Of fuorine
and hydrogen known as hydrofiuoric
acid, which is similar TO hydrochloric
acid. To improve the conductiyity Of
the hydrofuoric acid it was necessary
70 dissolve another fiuorine compound
IN the liquid AS will readily be imag-
ined, il is not so difficult 20 obtain free
huO-ine as to keep il when obtained
Every part OF the apparatus used by NJ.
Moissan was made Of platinum, with
screw joints and washers Of lead, which
swell on contact with fuOrine, all the
shoppers being Of fuorspar. FluoriDe
has powerful affinity for silicon. one
Of the principal constituents Of glass, so
that il was impossible to use glass yes-
sells CT tubes TO contain the gas
As regards the chemical nature Of
fuorine. il is gas at ordinary temper
atUre and is the Hghtest member Of the
series Of elements containing chlorine.
brOmine and iodine. The attraction Of
fu0rine for hydrogen exceeds that Of
chlorine and is 30 great that if a slow
current Of fiuorine gas be passed into
tube Of fiuo-spar containing drop Of
water a dark fog is produced, which
changes presently 70 a blue vapor con-
sisting Of ozone-the condensed form Of
oxygen. The last named substance ap-
pears 10 be ole Of the few materials
which has no affinity for fiuorine. Moth
ing is observed 10 take place between
them even when they are heated mp TO
1000 degrees +.
So far all experiments had been con-
ducted with fiuorine gas, which, at the
time il was isolated, resisted all at
tempts TO reduce it 70 the liquid state
Six years ago, however, there was no
laboratory-such as that at the Royal
MISUNDERSTANDING 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 liquefyiHg huorine. At the
extremely low temperature Of liquid
oxygen it was found that fiuorine did
not attack glass, and il was possible to
use glass vessels TO bold the newly lique-
fed element e I. Townsend in
Knowledge.