Evening star., 1952-06-25
Quartz Paper Developed
Superior to Asbestos
Navy Chemists Find Product
To InsuIute VituI Materials
By Thomos R. Henry


Naval Research Laboratory chemists
paper superior to asbestos for vital elec-
trical insulating materials.
The country hitherto has been de-
pendent largely on imported fbers for
the use. The new material can be made
easily and cheaply from domestic sources.
The work has been carried on under the
direction of the Office of Naval Research.
The paper is made from fibers which
are produced in the laboratory but which
chemically are identical with the quartz
found in nature. Two types have been
made into paper-one Of which contains
water.
Manufacture Of the paper closely re-
SembleS ordinary paper making. In.
dividual flbers are about q hundredth
the size Of human hair. The quartz
pulp is added to water in paper beater,
the stock is circulated for short time,
and then pumped into a conventional
paper-making machine. In a recent test
run at the Bureau Of Standards the ma
chine was able to run at a speed of 40
feet per minute to produce paper i've
thouSandths of an inch thick.
Widespread Use Seen.
Paper made from the waterless fiber
is expected to have widespread use as an
electrical insulating material where re-
slStance to high temperature and low
electrical losses at high frequencies are
required. The asbestos commonly used
for this purpose is made from imported
f1bers. 1t withstands temperatures of
only about 1000 degrees F. The new
paper can take temperatures Of 5000 de-
greeS F.
The quartz paper, in contrast to other
synthetic materials available for elec.
trical insulation, is boron-free-a char
acteristic of great value in the atomic
age. It does not become radioactive
when exposed to atomic radiation. Thus
it probably will be of exceptional value
for insulation of cables which might be
subjected to such radiation. The new
material is considered potentially useful
in possible nuclear- energy power plants,
including atom-powered naval ships If
such ever are achieved.
There are other potential military uses
for the paper. Because of its inherent
porosity, for example, it may be used in
gas masks and other types of filters. 1t
also appears an excellent material for
use IN radio antenna housings.
Green-veiled is midnight around the
earth.
AS this hour approaches q green light
line in the spectrum of the night sky
caused by the bombardment of oxygen
IN the high atmosphere by atomic par
tlcleS grows more intense. It is part
OF the might glow" the ineffably faint
lumineScence Of the sky at great alti.
tudes.
A detailed study Of the green-line
phenomenon. made at the Naval Ord
nance Test Station at China Lake, Calf.
has just been reported to the Journal
OF GeophySical Research here by Drs.
F. E. Roach and Helen B. Petit. It
Is Que IN some way. they believe. to
some sort of excitation of oxygen
atoms on the dark side of the earth
through which given observer seems
to move with the rotation of the earth.
The character of the pattern, they
found, seems to change with the sea.
son.
Move in Ionospheric Wind.
Their studies indicate. they report,
that the green light is coming from
an altitude of somewhat more than 200
miles. There is some indication, they
say. that the charge particles respon-
sible for the glow are moving quite
rapidly with an ionospheric wind. This
wind has q tendency to die away at
sunrise.
They have found it impossible, they
say. to find consistent wind pattern.
The zone of maximum intensity, they
f1nd, apparently is at somewhat lower
iatitudes than the aurora borealis.
Some explanations hitherto given for
auroral phenomena. they believe, apply
better to the night glow.