Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1921-04-13
new SOLVENT
is GREAT FIND
Removes Paints, varnishes,
EnameIs and SheIIacs With
out Injuring Wood.
WAS DREAM OF ALCHEMISTS
oissoives Rubber, Clues, Hydrocar-
bons and Many Substances Here
tofore Regarded as Most Re-
sistant to Chemical Agencies.

Lincoln, Neb.-New properties OF
liquid described before the students of
the department of chemistry of the
University Of Nebraska show that 1t
almost realizes the dream of the al
chemists Of old who sought the uni
versal solvent.
As described by DIR. Victor Lenher,
professor of chemistry at the uniyer-
sity of Wisconsin, who has come here
TO deliver a series of addresses on
the subject, further tests have shown
that selenium oXychloride as the solv-
ent Is called, is more powerful even
than was indicated in his preliminary
announcement made before the Amer
lean Chemical society.
1t dlssolves rubber, Clues, enamels,
hydrocarbons and many other sub
stances which hitherto have been re-
garded as most resistant to all chem
zeal agencies except fire.
Other Substances Dissolved
Such products as redmanol, bakelite
and cOndensite, which are used as
substitutes for amber in the making
of pipe stems and for many other
Industrial purposes, and have been
until now regarded as insOlube In all
known solvents are readily dissolved
by selenium oxychloride, according 70
the announcement of DIR. Lenher. By
its use ordinary paints, varnishes and
shellacs can be removed from furni-
ture and carriages and other objects
without injuring the wood, and enam-
els can be taken from automobiles
without affecting the steel body.
Its solvent powers are so vigor-
ous." said DIR. Lenher, that 1t will
remove the bltumen from soft coal,
but will not attack the pure carbon
of anthracite"
DR.. Lenher also sees military pow
er In this powerful solvent, as 1t can
be employed In making more porous
charcoals contained in the filter ma
terial of war gas masks, process
known as activation.
"The coconut charcoal used In the
gas mask" continued DR.. Lenher, "can
be activated by this new reagent by
treatment at ordinary temperatures
which Is a considerable advance over
the older steam activation at white
heat"
The use Of activated charcoal in the
extraction Of gasoline from natural
gas Is one which is interesting chem
lists today, and still leaves the gas
available for household and industrial
purposes. AS a laboratory reagent,
Or. Lenher said that the properties of
selenium ozychoride are so unusual
that it is likely to come into common
use wherever research is conducted.
The solvent, which was formerly
regarded as merely a laboratory curl
osity, is finding its place in many in
dustries. The original statements con-
corning its exceptional powers have
been amply verified, the speaker as
serted, by him and group of students
who have been attracted to the lab
oratories of the University of Wis
consin during the last year
Once Waste Product.
The raw material from which 1t is
obtained was once waste product
from. the electroIytic refining of copper,
for until recently the selenium from
these electrolytic shines, while known
to the chemist as rare element, had
been considered as almost valueless.
The solvent itself is heavy liquid,
and nearly odorless. 1t can be readily
handled in a commercial way, how
ever, for We're it the universal solv-
ent" of alchemy it could not be trans
ported, as no vessel could withstand
ii.
This discovery Of everyday uses for
substance formed from discarded
material is regarded by scientists as
typical Illustration Of the value of
research.