The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-02-28
POWERFUL SOLVENT
IS DISCOVERED
SeIenium OXychiOride VIII Dissolve Sub
stances Hitherto Considered Imper-
viOus to All But Fire.


LINCOLN, Neb, Feb. 28.-New prop
critics of liquid described before the
students of the department of ehemis-
try of the University of Nebraska show
that it almost realizes the dream of the
alchcmists of old who sought the uni
yersal solvent As described bv DR..
lctor Lenher, professor of chemistry
at the University of Wisconsin. who
has come here to deliver a series of ad-
dresses on the subject, turtle tests
have shown that selenium oxy chloride.
Is the solvent is called. is more mower
tul even than was Indicated in his pre-
Imlnary announcement made before the
American Chemical society.
| 1t dissolves rubber, Clues, enameIs NV
drocarbOns and many other substances
which hitherto have been REGARDED as
most resistant to all chemical agencies
except fire.
Such products as redmanol. bakelite
and cOndensite, which are used as sub
stltutes for amber in the making of to-
baeco pipes and for many other indus
trial purposes and have been until now
regarded as msoluble ina all known sol
vents. are readily dissolved by seIcn-
Ium oNyehiorde, according TO the an
nouncement OF DR.. Lenncr. BY It's use
ordinary paints, vaTnishes and shellacS
can be removed from furniture and car
riages and other objects without iniur-
ing the wood. and enamels can be taken
from automobiles without affecting the
steel body
g. Its solvent powers are so vigorous
said DIR, Ienher, that it will remove
the bitumen from soft coal but will
not attack the pure carbon Of anthra.
cite. i--..-- .....,s1a ,. -...t ....... - /
DIR. Lenher also sees a military power
in this powerful solvent. as it can be
employed in making more porous char
Goals contained in the filter material
OF war gas masks, a process known as
activation.
The cocoanut charcoal used in the
gas mask continued Dr. Lcnher. 'can
be actiyatgd by this new reageut by
treatment at ordinary temperatures,
which Is q considerable advance over
the older steam activation at white
heat"
The use of activated charcoal in the
extension OF gasoline from natural gas
IS one which Is interesting chemists to-
day, as it viii tend to increase the sun
ply OF fuel for motor vehicles. and still
leave the gas available for household
and industrial purposes. As a labora-
tory reagent. Dr.. Lenher sad that the
properties of selenium oNyehloride are
so unusual that it Is likely to come into
common use wherever research is CON
Quoted
The solvent. which was formerly re
garded as merely a laboratory curiosity.
is finding its place III many industries.
The original statements concerning its
exceptional powers have been amply
verified, the speaker asserted by him
and group of students who have been
attracted to the laboratories of the I'm
iversity of Wisconsin during the PAST
year.
The raw material from which it is OBJ
tanned was once a waste product from
the electrolytic refining copper for until
recently the seleHium from these eloe-
trolytic shines. while known to the
chemist as a rare element had been
considered as almost valueless The
solvent itself is a heavy liquid, and
nearly colorless. 1t can be readily
handled in n commercial wav. however.
for were it the "Universal Solvent" of
alchemy it could not be transported, as
no vessel could withstand It.
This discovery of everyday uses for
a substance formed from discarded mas
terial is regarded bN scientists as q typ-I
zeal illustration of the value of re
search