IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HYDRATES OF ALKALIES AND ALKALINE EARTHS WHICH INVENTION COMPRISES THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHIDE OF ZINC CARBONATE OF STRONTIA AND OTHER SUBSTANCES " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Friedrich Claus, of Mark Lane, in the City of
London, Chemist for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HYDRATES OF ALKALIES AND ALKALINE EARTHS WHICH INVENTION
COMPRISES THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHIDE OF ZINC CARBONATE OF STRONTIA
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Friedrich Claus at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1883.
CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS, of Mark Lane, in the City of London, Chemist,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HYDRATES OF ALKALIES AND ALKALINE
EARTHS WHICH INVENTION COMPRISES THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHIDE OF ZINC,
CARBONATE OF STRONTIA AND OTHER SUBSTANCES "
In a specification of Letters Patent No. 4107 A.D. 1882 I have described a
process whereby sulphide of zinc is produced by dissolving oxide of zinc in
carbonate of ammonia or in mixtures of carbonate of ammonia and caustic
ammonia, or by dissolving carbonate of zinc in caustic ammonia and by pre-
cipitating from such solutions the sulphide of zinc by means of the sulphides of
alkalies or of alkaline earths.
Now according to my present improvements I adapt the said process to the
production of hydrate of strontia at a slight cost.
I also produce simultaneously by means of this process hydrosulphide of sodium
or of potassium.
To carry the said improved process into effect I add to solutions of sulphide or
bisulphide or hydrosulphide of strontium a quantity of strong caustic soda or of
caustic potash solution equivalent to the quantity of strontia in solution.
I prefer to mix the two solutions when heated to nearly boiling point.
Hydrate of strontia is formed which crystallizes out on cooling and sulphide,
bisulphide or hydrosulphide of sodium or of potassium remains in the mother
liquor.

page_text: The hydrate of strontia after recrystallization may be sold. The sulphides or
hydrosulphides of soda or of potash Í either concentrate by evaporation and sell
the same in this state or I precipitate with sulphide of sodium or sulphide of
potassium thus produced, sulphide of zinc from the above named ammoniacal
solutions of zinc. The liquid remaining after the precipitation contains carbonate
of soda or carbonate of potash and caustic ammonia in solution. I separate the
ammonia from this liquid by distillation thus leaving only carbonate of soda or
carbonate of potash.
After separating the carbonate of soda from the sulphide of zinc by decantation
or filtration I add caustic lime to the carbonate of soda or carbonate of potash and
thus convert (in the well known manner) these carbonates into the respective
hydrates or caustic alkalies.
By evaporation I concentrate the caustic soda or caustic potash to its original
strength, which I have found the most advantageous when mixing the same with
the solutions of the sulphides of strontium as described in the commencement of
this process.
In an analogous manner I produce hydrate of baryta, by substituting sulphide
of barium for sulphide of strontium.
It is evident that in the above described process I can constantly reproduce the
caustic soda or caustic potash which forms the medium through which hydrate of
strontia is produced without material loss of the caustic alkalies.
I also manufacture hydrate of strontia from solutions of chloride of strontium by
adding to the same hydrate of baryta or solutions of the same in equivalent
quantities. Hydrate of strontia is formed which crystallizes on cooling and chloride
of barium remains in the mother liquor.
No more water should be present in the two solutions together than is required
to hold the chloride of barium which is formed in solution when cold and to
supply the necessary water of crystallization and hydration to the hydrate of
strontia. After all the hydrate of strontia has been separated by crystallization I
concentrate the solution of chloride of barium to the crystallizing point and obtain
the dry salt by crystallization.
In a similar manner I produce hydrate of strontia from sulphide, or from
bisulphide or hydrosulphide of strontium. I add to a strong solution of any of
these sulphides of strontium hydrate of baryta chemically equivalent in quantity
to the strontia in solution, whereby hydrate of strontia is produced which
crystallizes out on cooling and sulphide, bisulphide or hydrosulphide of barium
remains in the mother liquor.
I produce carbonate of strontia by mixing in equivalent quantities solutions of
chloride of magnesium with solutions of sulphide or hydrosulphide of strontium,
heating the liquid until the sulphide or hydrosulphide of magnesium formed is
completely decomposed and all sulphide of hydrogen liberated therefrom. I then
force impure carbonic acid (such as fuel-gases) through the liquid, whereby
carbonate of strontia is formed and chloride of magnesium is reproduced.
I separate the carbonate of strontia from the chloride of magnesium by filtration
and apply the latter again as in the commencement of the process.
I also force hot fuel gases through the mixture of the sulphide of strontium with
chloride of magnesium thus driving off the sulphide of hydrogen and precipitating
the carbonate of strontia simultaneously.
.
As another method of producing carbonate of strontia I employ a process similar
to that described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to W. R. Wallace
and myself A.D. 1876 No. 2950 merely substituting for a solution of sulphide of
barium a solution of sulphide, bisulphide or hydrosulphide of strontium.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Carl Friedrich Claus in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th August 1883.
CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS, of Mark Lane, in the City of London, Chemist,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HYDRATES OF ALKALIES AND ALKALINE
EARTHS, WHICH INVENTION COMPRISES THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHIDE OF ZINC,
CARBONATE OF STRONTIA, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
"
My. invention relates chiefly to the production of hydrate of strontia and
carbonate of strontia, and comprises various processes as hereinafter set forth.
In the Specification of former Letters Patent dated August 28th A.D. 1882,
N° 4107, I have described a process whereby sulphide of zinc is produced by
dissolving oxide of zinc in carbonate of ammonia or in mixtures of carbonate of
Ammonia and caustic ammonia; or by dissolving carbonate of zinc in caustic
ammonia; and by precipitating, from the solutions thus obtained, the sulphide of
zinc by means of the sulphides of alkalies or of alkaline earths.
Now according to one part of my present improvements I adapt the said process
to the recovery of the caustic alkalies which I utilize in the production of hydrate
of strontia in the manner hereinafter described. I also produce, simultaneously
with hydrate of strontia, sulphide, bisulphide or hydrosulphide of sodium or of
potassium.
In carrying this part of my invention into effect, I add to a solution of sulphide,
or bisulphide, or hydrosulphide of strontium, a quantity of strong caustic soda or
caustic potash solution equivalent to the quantity of strontia in solution. I prefer
to mix the two solutions, when heated to nearly boiling point; but, if desired,
the solutions may be first mixed and then heated. Hydrate of strontia is formed
which crystallizes out on cooling and sulphide, bisulphide, or hydrosulphide of
sodium or of potassium remains in the mother liquor.
The hydrate of strontia, after recrystallization, may be sold. The sulphide or
hydrosulphide of soda or of potash I either concentrate by evaporation and sell
the same in this state, or I precipitate (with the sulphides of sodium or of
potassium thus produced) sulphide of zinc from the above named ammoniacal
solutions of zinc. The liquid remaining after the precipitation contains carbonate
of soda or carbonate of potash and caustic ammonia in solution. I separate the
ammonia from this liquid by distillation, thus leaving only carbonate of soda or
carbonate of potash with the sulphide of zinc.
After separating the carbonate of soda from the sulphide of zinc by decantation
or filtration, I add caustic lime to the carbonate of soda or carbonate of potash and
thus convert (in the well known manner) these carbonates into the respective
hydrates or caustic alkalies. By evaporation I concentrate the caustic soda or
caustic potash to its original strength, which I have found most advantageous for
mixing the same with the solutions of the sulphides of strontium as above
described.
In an analogous manner I produce hydrate of baryta, by substituting sulphide
of barium for sulphide of strontium.
It is evident that by the above described process I can repeatedly recover the
caustic soda or caustic potash which forms the medium through which hydrate of
strontia or hydrate of baryta is produced, without material loss of the caustic
alkalies
I also manufacture hydrate of strontia from solutions of chloride of strontium,
by adding to the same hydrate of baryta or a solution of the same in equivalent
quantities, the said solutions being heated, preferably to nearly boiling point, either
before or after they are mixed.
Hydrate of strontia is formed, which crystallizes out on cooling, and chloride of
barium remains in the mother liquor. The quantity of water present in the two

page_text: solutions, when combined, should not be greater than is required to hold the
chloride of barium, which is formed, in solution when cold, and to supply the
necessary water of crystallization and hydration to the hydrate of strontia. After
all the hydrate of strontia has been separated by crystallization, I concentrate the
solution of chloride of barium to the crystallizing point and obtain the dry salt by
crystallization.
In a similar manner I produce hydrate of strontia from sulphide, or bisulphide,
or hydrosulphide of strontium, that is to say:-I add to a strong solution of any
of these sulphides of strontium a quantity of bydrate of baryta chemically
equivalent to the strontia in solution, whereby hydrate of strontia is produced,
which crystallizes out on cooling, and sulphide, bisulphide, or hydrosulphide of
barium remains in the mother liquor.
I produce carbonate of strontia by mixing, in equivalent quantities, a solution
of chloride of magnesium with a solution of sulphide or hydrosulphide of
strontium, and then heating the liquid until the sulphide or hydrosulphide of
magnesium formed is completely decomposed and all sulphide of hydrogen liberated
therefrom. I then force carbonic acid (such as fuel gases) through the liquid,
whereby carbonate of strontia is formed and chloride of magnesium is reproduced.
I separate the carbonate of strontia from the chloride of magnesium by filtration
and apply the latter again as in the commencement of the process.
I sometimes force bot fuel-gases through the mixture of the sulphide of strontium
with chloride of magnesium, thus driving off the sulphide of hydrogen and
precipitating the carbonate of strontia simultaneously.
I also manufacture carbonate of strontia by a process similar to that described
in the specification of Letters Patent granted to W. R. Wallace and myself
A.D. 1876, N° 2950, that is to say, by precipitating the carbonate of strontia, by
means of carbonate of ammonia or gas-liquor in closed vessels, from a solution of
sulphide, bisulphide, or hydrosulphide of strontium, then heating the contents of
the said vessel (preferably by steam) in order to volatilize, collect, and absorb the
sulphide of ammonium into sulphuric acid, the sulphide of hydrogen being utilized
in the manner described in the said specification Ñº 2950, or in any other suitable
manner.
Having thus fully described my said invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim.
First The production of hydrate of strontia by the action of caustic soda or
caustic potash upon a sulphide of strontium, as above described.
Second-The above described process for recovering the caustic alkalies used in
the production of hydrate of strontia or of hydrate of baryta in the manner
specified.
Third The production of hydrate of strontia by the action of hydrate of baryta
upon chloride of strontium, or upon a sulphide of strontium, as above described.
Fourth. The production of carbonate of strontia by the action of chloride of
magnesium and carbonic acid upon a solution of a sulphide of strontium, as above
described.
Fifth. The process of manufacturing carbonate of strontia by precipitating the
same from a solution of a sulphide of strontium by means of gas-liquor, as above
described.
In witness whereof I the said Carl Friedrich Claus have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty-fifth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS. (L.S.)