New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05

compound was Drought 10 an lDttISc H'dA IL
would hold a given amount Of carbon in suspen-
sion: but when it cooled a part Of the carbon
would separate from the metal and be de-
posted in small pockets here and there in the
solid mass one advantage which this process
possessed was that in cooling the from shrank,
and thus squeezed the carbon tremendously.
And pressure at the moment Of cooling was one
of the things required TO persuade the carbon
to crystallize Eventually Moissan obtained in
this manner some tiny crystals. which were real
diamonds although Of little market value; but
he would generally find that he had his carbon
in the other crystalline form, graphite IT was
easier TO get graphite than diamonds.
Now. this same product was obtained at about
the same time. a little later by Edward u
Acheson Of Niagara FATS. who was engaged In
researches requiring somewhat similar appara-
tus although he had different object In view
| Mr. Acheson is the discoverer OF the COMPOUND
| known as "carborundum." II is composed or
| carbon and silicon, and the union is eHec'eu
with the aid of an electric furnace Carborun-
! dun, it may be remarked Is used Tor ABRASIVE
nurnoses and is much harder than emery. In
| the course of his experiments MT Achesoh
found that anonymous carbon, when brought to
q high temperature, would be converted INTO
graphite lie did not any iron in his fnr-
| mace except in small quantities. Other mineral
| Substances however were employed In small
| quantities. notably silica. or oxide OF slllcoh'
! This curious and interesting relation was de-
| ,ected between the processes Of making car
borundum and graphite. When powdered COKE
| s. convenient form Of "amorphous carpoh-
was put into the electric furnace. with silica
and other suitable materials, and the electric
! current was turned on that portion Of the con
ta,te which was first acted on was converted
| into carhorundun or carbide Of silicon. But
when the heat had been applied longer Or 10
I sneak more accurately. more intensely the
| carborundum was changed into graphite. Inc
silicon in it was vaporzed and disappeared ana
the carbon was LETT in pure state ana IN
| crystalline form.
ONE would have supposed that If Mr.. Acheson
wanted only to purify his carbon-that is to
say to change his coke into graphite-he would
have begun with the purest anonymous carbon
he could find and would have avoided mixing
foreign substances with It. He thought 50 HIM
self at first for he had undertaken TO purify coke
for the purpose Of making electric light carbons
and naturally sought to exclude anything like an
| impurity But he he's now found that the con-
! version Of amorphous carbon goes on more per-
fectly If he adds certain mineral salts and lets
the product go through the intermediate stage Of
carborundum.
In a number Of modern industries articles Of
commerce are produced by what are called
"electrolytic' processes. And 1t is necessary In
any such work to lead the current into and out
OF a bath by means Of carbon rods. The Mathe-
son Akali Works at Niagara Falls. for instance
uses such rods and Mr.. Acheson has been sup
| plying that factory with the requisite carbons
| II is desirable that these should be as pure as
possible. and II converted in part or wholly into
graphite the conducting qualities Of the rods
viii be improved. Hence Mr.. AchesOn has been
trying the experiment OF "graphtizng' them.
complete conversion, but usually stops at just
, such q point &c 10 leave the carbOns harder than
IL they were altogether in a crystalline condi-
ton.
Mr. Acheson has succeeded so we'll that he
has been led TO consider the feasibility Of manu-
featuring graphite and graphitized carbons a
large scale He makes sensational announce
ments He does not expect any great industrial
revolution. But the steadily increasing demand
for graphite, the growing recognition Of its use
fulness for motor brushes, paints. electrolytic
terminals and other service and the increased
prices OF the natural product have induced him
to organize a company for the practical applica %
! ton Of his inventions The factory is to be
first II is proposed 10 consume about five hun
dred horse power. 10 be obtained from the Nj
+ agara Falls Power Company.