An Improved Process for Finely Dividing Mercury or Amalgam.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1899-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Finely Dividing Mercury or Amalgam.
I, ARVID NATANAEL BLOMQUIST, of Drottninggatan 59, Stockholm, in the
Kingdom of Sweden, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved process for finely dividing mercury
which is based upon the hitherto unknown fact that amalgams of magnesium,
aluminium, and alkaline earth metals can be finely divided by mechanical grinding
with various indifferent materials either in powder form, semi-solid or liquid.
The respective amalgam is according to the present invention manufactured
in the following manner:-
Mercury whilst being continuously stirred and at the same time having added
to it magnesium or aluminium powder and a small quantity of hydrate of
protoxide of potassium or sodium is heated to the boiling point. The above
mentioned metals can be used each separately, but preferably mixed for the pro-
duction of the amalgam. The most suitable amalgam according to this invention,
contains 97 parts of mercury, 2 parts of magnesium and I part of aluminium, if
both metals are used in the production, but the proportions of mixture and accor-
dingly the proportions of the used ingredients for the product to be obtained can
of course vary according to practical requirements.
Also if lithium and the alkaline earth metals barium, strofinum calcium either
alone or in mixture are used in the prolation of amalgams for the fine distribu-
tion of mercury, the desired result is obtained but varying accordingly to the
quality of the ingredients used. Being easily oxidiscable an addition of lithium
or the alkaline earth metals is suitable for setting free the mercury from the
described magnesium, or aluminium amalgam, which effects the setting free of
the mercury in a quick manner. By means of this process the wholesale produc-
tion of mercury preparations is intended wherein finely divided mercury is to be
contained in the form of amalgams.
The above described chemical and mechanical process for the fine distributing
of mercury in the form of amalgams differs from the hitherto used method of
grinding, as by its use the mercury in the amalgam is well 'distributed and
uniformly fine, and the finely distributed mercury amalgam does not consist of
or resemble globules but of very sharp edged minute particles. The qualities of
this amalgam for fine division as previously stated are still further augmented, if
a preparation obtained by this process is exposed to the influence of the air as
each minute particle of the amalgam is submitted thereby to a further decom-
position by the oxidation of the amalgamated metals. One of the advantages of
the method in question is that no oxidation of the mercury can take place as is
the case in the methods hitherto used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An improved process for finely dividing mercury in form of amalgam in a
cliemical and mechanical manner for the purpose of wholesale manufacturing of
mercury preparations, in which the mercury whilst being continuously stirred,
has added to it magnesium or aluminium powder, either separately, or mixed
together, and a small quantity of hydrate of protoxide of potassium or sodium..
and is then heated to the boiling point whereby an amalgam is obtained, which
can be finely divided by mechanical grinding with any suitable materials.
2. In the process described in Claim 1 the addition of lithium or other carth
metals either separately, or mixed together.
3. In the process described in Claim 1 the substitution for magnesium or
aluminium, of lithium or the other earth metals either separately or mixed.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co., -
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London.