The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-03-01
NEAR APPROACH TO
UNIVERSAL SOLVENT
New Liquid Discovered in the Labora-
tories at the University
of Nebraska.

Lincoln, Neb., March New proper
ties of liquid described before the
students of the department OF chemls-
try of the University Of Nebraska show
that it almost realizes the dream Of the
alchemists OF old who sought the uni.
versal solvent.
As described by DIR. Victor Lenher,
professor of chemistry at the Univer-
sitv of Wisconsin, who has come here
to deliver a series OF addresses on the
subject. further tests have shown that
selenium oxychloride, as the solvent
is called, is more powerful even than
was Indicated in his preliminary an
nouncement made before the American
Chemical society,
It dissolves rubber, CLUES, enamels,
hydrocarbons and many other sub
stances which hitherto have been re-.
parded as most resistant 10 all chemi-
cal agencies except FIRE.
Such products as redmanol, bakellte
and eondensite, which are used a. sub
stitutes for amber in the making Of to-
baeeo pipes and for many other indus
trial purposes and have been until now
regarded as insoluble in all solvents
are readily dissolved by selenium oXy-
chloride, according to the announce
ment of DIR, Lenher. BY its use ordinary
paints. varnishes and shellacs can be
removed from furniture and carriages
and other objects without injuring the
wood. and enamels can be taken from
automobiles without affecting the steel
body. !.
ats solvent powers are so vigorous,
said DR.. Lenher. that il will remove
the bitumen from soft coal but will not
attack the pure carbon OF anthracite.
DR. Lenher also secs military pow
er in this powerful solvent, as itean be
employed in making more porous char
Goals contained in the filter material OF
war gas masks, process known as ae-
tivation
The cocoanut charcoal used in the
gas mask" continued DR. Lenher, can
be activated By this new reagent BY
| treatment AZ ordinary temperatures,
which is considerable advance over
/ the older steam actiyation at a white
heat"
The use of actiyated charcoal in the
extraction of gasoline from natural gas
is one which is interesting chem'sts TO
day. as it will tend to increase the sup
ply Of fuel for motor vehicles, and stlil
leave the gas available for hpusehold
and industrial purposes. As a labora-
tory reagent. Dr. Lenher said that the
properties of selenium oXychlorlde are
so Unusual that it is likely to cone
into common use wherever research i
conducted.
The solvent, which was formerly re-
oarded as merely a laboratory cart
osity. is finding its place IN many IN
dustries. The original statements con,
corning its exceptional powers have
been amply verified. the speaker assert
ed, by him and group Of stud nts " 70
have been attracted to the Laboratories
Of the University Of Wisconsin durine
the past year.
The raw material from which 4 b.
obtained was once waste product
from the electrolytic refining copper toi
until recently 6ie selenium from thes'
electrolytic shines, while known 70 the
chemists a. a rare element. had beer
considered as almost valueless. The sol
vent itself Is a heavy liquid. and nearly
colorless. 1t can be readily handled u
a commercial way. however. fer were I
the universal solvent" Of alchemy Z
could not be transported, a. no ves~e
could withstand i.
This discovery Of every day uses 10
substance formed from discarded ma
terial i, regarded by scientists a.
typical illustration Of the value II r.
search.