The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1898-04-08
DEY0URS LIKE FIRE.
TIE WONDERFUL EFFECTS PRCDUc-
ED BY FLUORlNE.

The Diamond Only Able to Absolutely Re-
sist This Powerful Solvent Researches
Into the Nature Cf a Hitherto Poorly
known CacmicaI Element.
The alchemists of the middle ages be-
lieyed that somewhere IN the universe
was to lie found a universal solvent
which would dissolve the most refrac-
tory substances as readily as water dis
solves sugar. They named their solvent
liquor alEahest, and what time they
could spare from the search after the
elixir of life and the philosophers
stone was spent in the endeavCr 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 iuCrine 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 &c
fluorine in time. The mere contact Of
most substances with fuorine is suffi-
cient TO cause not mere solution, but
light, har1e and fierce detOnations
Dull, inert flint takes fire when exposed
to fuorine vapor and becomes a bril-
liant incandescent mass. Lampblack
bursts into flame, while charcoal burns
with bright scintillations. 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 crystalline form closely resembling
the diamond, gives a magnificent dis
play in the presence of fuorine, the
crystals becoming white hot and throw
ing showers Of fiery spangles in all di-
rectiOns. The heat is so intense that the
crystals melt, showing that their tenn
perature has reached 200 degrees c..
Phosphorus combines fercely with
fluOrine. Prussian blue, on account of
the cyanogen it contains, burns with a
beautiful pink fame; while from a
crystal Of iodine placed in fuOrine vapo1
a heavy liquid distills with pale fame
This Iquid-an iOdide of huOriue-
etcbes glass, and if thrown into water
misses like hot iron. The last named
metal becomes white hot when exposed
to fluOrine; even iron rust behaves in a
similar manner. Nearly all metals are
raised to vivid incandescence 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 flame too dazzling
to gaze at or describe.
Although it has been known in vari.
Gus states Of combination for many
years, having been first discovered by
SChwankhardt Of Nuremberg, in 1870,
and rediscovered by Scheele in 1911,
fluOrine was not obtained as fluCrine 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 26 or 26
Bunsen batteries. The current was pass
ed through the compound of huorine
and hydrogen known as hydrofluoric
acid, which is similar to hydrochlOric
acid. To improve the conductivity Of
the hydrofluoric acid it was necessary
to dissolve another fluOrine compound
in the liquid. AS will readily be imag-
ined, it is not so difficult to obtain free
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 on contact with fuorine, all the
shoppers being of fuorspar. Fluorine
has powerful affinity for silicon, one
of the principal constituents of glass, sc
that it was impossible to use glass yes
sells or tubes to contain the gas.
AS regards the chemical nature Of
fuorine, it is gas at 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 if a slow
current Of fuorine gas be passed into a
tube of fluorspar containing a drop OF
water a dark fog is produced, which
changes presently TO a 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 fuorine. Moth
ing is observed to take place between
them even when they are heated ~ to
1000 degrees f.
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 nc
laboratory-such as that at the Royal
misunderstanding powerful machinery
for producing liquid air or liquid oxy-