Evening star., 1952-05-05
Paper Made From Clay
At Naval Laboratory
New Product May Protect
Against Atomic Radiation
By Thomos R. Henry

Oy tHOtHuS u. nenfy
Paper made of clay has been developed
at the Naval Research Laboratory.
It is produced by conventional paper
making methods from aluminium silicate.
or any similar clay. This material close
ly resembles rock wool.
In the process, the black impurities
which comprise about so per cent of
the basic material are removed in a
fractionating box or ''riffler," leaving
about 80 per cent in fluffy white fibrouS
form and 10 per cent in a granular form
that appears suitable for thermal insu-
lation. The fibrous material can be
made into paper only because of the
flneness Of its fibers-individual fibers
are much less than micron in diam
eter, micron being 40-millionths of an
inch.
For papermaking purposes, bentonite
clay, material similar to fuller's earth.
is added to the fiber. When the fiber is
bonded with suitable resins, it can be
laminated into fireproof panels, easily
machined or drilled, and capable of
withStanding temperatures to $500 de-
grees Fahrenheit. Such panels would
be useful for switchboard panels and
similar installations where resistance to
fire. plus electrical insulation, is needed.
May Be Atomic Protector.
An added characteristic of the prod
uct is that it contains no boron, which
suggests application as electrical insula-
ton for cables and various components
which might be subject to atomic radia-
ton.
Synthetic materials now available con-
tain boron or similar chemical elements
which trap the atomic particles called
neutrons and so would become radio
active if used to insulate cables or other
equipment used in the neighborhood
OF nuclear reactors or piles"
The Naval Research Laboratory also
has developed a method for making
fine plastic fibers into sheets from
commercially available silicone fibers.
The new material, identified as
"NaReL," combines the appearance Of
tissue-thin paper with the draping
qualities. OF cloth, and yet does not
use either paper making or textile
carding techniques. The basic resins
are heated, combined with air, and
then sprayed onto a fine metal screen
from which the resultant non-woven
fabric can be removed.
Since the process requires neither
critical paper-making nor textile ma
chlnery. the product should be a less
expensive material. with application as
longer-lived insulation for electrical
apparatus. Its dielectric strength is
higher than glass, and it will withstand
an operating temperature OF $50 de-
greeS Fahrenheit, which exceeds the
temperature requirements for Glass H
insulation.
The new material also is water-re-
peiient. which suggests potential appli-
cations for protective clothing.
Cactus" Fish at Smithsonian.
An animal cactus" has Just been
added to the collections of the Smith
Son1an Institution. 1t is one of four
new f1Shes-a member of the skate. or
ray. family and closely related to the
sharks.
The fish were collected by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
vessel Oregon. while engaged in shrimp
Investigations in 195O-51 in the Gulf
OF Mexico. Type specimens have been
NNHooA"~A OOVA1 III CIlC UulCeQ states
National Museum, which is adminis-
tered by the Smithsonian, and in
Harvards Museum of Comparative
Zoology at Cambridge, Mass.
One OF the skates, which has been
given the scientific name Raia lem
tiginosa. is approximately a foot long.
1t was collected from a depth of about
IT'S feet. Later other specimens four
males and three females, were obtained
at depths ranging to 1875 feet.
Ihe creature is remarkable for it's
covering of thorns around the ewes on
the head and shoulders and on the
tail. Most of the tail thorns occurring
IN four or five rows of 30 or more to
the row. have sharp points, directed
backward. It's back is densely freckled
with very small. dark, light brown and
whitish spots
The collection also includes two other
hitherto unrecognized species of rays.
both represented by immature males
and new species belonging to the fam
ny Chamaeridae. related to the sharks.
Descriptions Of the new fishes have
Just been published by Drs Henry B
Blgelow and William c. Schroeder Of
the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institu-
tlon in the Journal of the Washington
Academy Of Sciences.