Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-08-05
DEYOURs LIKE FIRE.
THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS PRODUCE
Ed eY FLuoRlN6.

THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS PRoouc-
ed eY FluoRiN6.
h Diamond Only Able to Absolutely Re-
sist b Powerful solvent-Researches
Into the Nature Of . Hitherto Poorly
Known Chemical Element.
Tho alchemists of the middle ages be-
lieved that somewhere in the universe
was to be found q universal solvent
which would dissolve the most refrac-
tory substances as readily MS water dis
solves sugar. They named their solvent
liquor alkahest, and what time they
could spare frem 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 madness Of the alchemists than
Is generally supposed, for in the re-
markable substance tiuorine chemists
possess material that approximates very
closely to q universal solvent. Its chem
ical energy is so fierce that, except gold
and platinum, nothing can resist it, and
even gold and platinum succumb to
duorine in time. The mere contact of
most substances with fluorine is sufi-
cient to cause not mere solution, but
light, flame and fierce detonations.
Dull, inert flint takes fire when exposed
to fluorine vapor and becomes a brill
liant incandescent mass. Lampblack
bursts into flame, while charcoal burns
with bright sointillations. Only the
diamond is 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 q crystalline form closely resembling
the diamond, gives q magnificent dis
play in the presence of fiuorine, the
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 tenn.
perature has reached /, 400 degrees @.
Phosphorus combines fiercely with
fuorine. Prussian blue, Oh account of
the cyanogen it contains, burns with q
beautiful pink flame; while from a
crystal Of iodine placed in fluorine vapor
a heavy liquid distills with q pale flame.
This liquid-an iodide of ~fluorine-
etches glass, and if thrown into water
misses like hot iron. The last named
metal becomes white hot when exposed
to f1uorine; even iron rust behaves in q
similar manner Nearly all metals are
raised to vivid incandescence in u cur
rent of the gas, many appearing very
J beautiful, especially aluminium and
zinc. If the latter be slightly warmed,
1t bursts into a white 6amo too dazzling
to gaze at or describe.
Although it has been known in vari
u states Of combination for many
years, having been first discovered by
Schwankhardt of Nuremberg, in 1870,
and r~ediscovered by Scheele in 1911,
1uorinc was not obtained as fuorine il
the free state until about six years ago
when tho French chemist Moissan sue
ceeded in isolating it by employing {
current Of electricity from go or 2s
Bunsen batteries. The current was pass
ed through the compound of fluorine
and hydrogen known as hydrofluorie
/ oSAui WuASAi AZ llullu " uyuEOCIlOIl
acid. To improve the conductivity O.
tho hydrotluorio acid it was necessar,
to dissolve another fiuorine COMPOUND
in the liquid. AS will readily be imag
ined, it is not so difficult to obtain fret
fuorine as to keep it when obtained.
Every part Of the apparatus used by NJ.
Moissan was made Of platinum, with
screw joints and washers of lead, which
swell Oh contact with fluorine. all the
shoppers being of fiuorspar. Fluorine
has q powerful affinity for silicon. one
Of the principal constituents of glass, &C
that it was impossible to use glass YES.
sells or tubes to contain the gas.
As regards the chemical nature OF
f1uorine, 1t is q gas at ordinary temper.
allure and is the lightest member Of the
series Of clements containing chlorine,
bromine and iodine. The attraction OF
fluorine for hydrogen exceeds that OF
chlorine aud is SO great that if a slow
current Of fluorine gas be passed into q
tube Of tiuorspar containing q drop Of
water a dark fog is produced, which
changes presently to q blue vapor con.
sisting Of oZone-tho condensed form OF
oxygen. The last named substance ap.
pears to DO one of tho few materials
which has no affinity for fiuorine. Moth.
ing is observed to take place between
them even when they arc heated up tc
1000 degrees F.
So far all experiments had been con.
Quoted with fuorine gas, which, at the
time it was isolated, resisted all at.
tempts to reduce it to tho liquid state.
Six years ago, however, there was nc
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 fiuorine. At the
extremely low temperature Of liquid
oxygen it was found that fluorine did
not attack glass, and it was possible to
use glass vessels to hold the newly lique.
fed element. %. F. Townsend in
knowledge.
A Tough Route.
"Somewhere in the south" says Con-