Pigments, Paint and Painting: A practical book for practical menTerry, George
Science
Pigments, Paint and Painting: A practical book for practical men
Terry, George
Paint; Painting, Industrial; Pigments
required, together with 6 or 8 parts of iron in some form or other. The
pearlash, or a mixture of 1 part of pearlash with 2 to 4 parts “blue
salt” or “blue potash” (this substance will be referred to later on),
is melted in the furnace and heated to bright redness, so that the
temperature of the mass may not be reduced too much by the addition
of the animal matters. These, in their original condition, or an
equivalent quantity of carbonised materials, together with the proper
proportion of iron, are then introduced--first pretty frequently,
afterwards at longer intervals. Each addition of animal matter causes a
somewhat violent frothing and escape of combustible gases, along with
water and carbonic acid, and the whole becomes thick--not so much owing
to the introduction of solid substances as by the fall of temperature,
resulting from the production of such large quantities of gas. In
order to hasten the decomposition, vigorous stirring must be applied.
When the reaction is at an end, the semi-fluid mass is transferred to
cast-iron dishes, and the furnace is again filled with carbonate of
potash and heated. In this way four or five charges may be accomplished
every day, and the process carried on continuously. The most favourable
conditions for effecting the melting part of the process are attained
when the heat approaches whiteness, and a bright, clear flame is
produced as soon as the raw materials are introduced. According to one
authority, woollen rags and good pearlash, with a small proportion
of waste iron, have produced the largest yield of yellow prussiate,
although even in this case two-thirds of the total nitrogen present was
lost in the form of ammonia.
(2) Lixiviation.--The fused mass, if properly prepared, should yield
about 16 per cent. of prussiate on dissolving in water. In this part
of the process, the “metal” when cold is broken into lumps and placed
in cold water mixed with the weak lyes from former operations. Heat
is then applied until the temperature rises to about 180°-190° F.,
and the liquid is stirred vigorously so as to promote rapid solution,
because some of the potassium cyanide is apt to be decomposed during
lixiviation. When the solution attains a density of 30°-40° Tw. it
is left to clarify, the heat being withdrawn. The clear solution is
decanted, and evaporated in pans, which are generally heated by the
waste heat of the furnaces. When it has a density of 54° Tw. it is run
off into the crystallisers, where it deposits the crude salt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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