Aluminium and platinum; Tissier; Aluminium and Cad- Aluminium and carbon, Deville and Cowles; Aluminium Aluminium and tungsten, by Michel, in Wöhler's labora tory; Aluminium and molybdenum; Experiments by Decomposition of cryolite; F. Lauterborn's patent ; Theory of the rapid oxidation of aluminium amalgam; PAGE Reichel's summary Aluminium chloride formed from the sulphide; F. Laut- Experiments with lead, copper, tin, antimony, and iron; ALUMINIUM. PART I. HISTORY OF ALUMINIUM. LAVOISIER* first suggested the existence of metallic bases of the earths and alkalies. The first researches in the preparation of aluminium date back to 1807. Davy tried, but in vain, to decompose Al2O3 by an electric current, or to reduce it by vapor of potassium. Oerstedt, in 1824, believed he had isolated aluminium. He decomposed anhydrous A12C16 by K amalgam, and he obtained, along with some KCl, an amalgam which decomposed by heat furnished him a metal resembling tin. It is probable that he employed either some moist AlCl or K amalgam which contained KOH, for it is only when wetted with a solution of KOH that aluminium alloys with mercury; for, when Wöhler, later, wished to prepare aluminium by this method, he found it impossible to obtain an Al amalgam when he employed materials pure Fremy, Ency. and dry. Nevertheless, the method of Oerstedt marks an epoch in the history of the science, for in 1827 Wöhler isolated aluminium by decomposing A1C16 by K. The metal first isolated by Wöhler was a gray powder, taking under the polisher the brilliancy of tin. It was very easily changed, because of its extreme division, and also because it was mixed with the K or AlCl used in excess. At that time no further use was made of these facts. Later, in 1845, on making vapor of Al2C16 pass over potassium placed in platinum boats, Wöhler obtained the metal in small, malleable globules of metallic appearance, from which he was able to determine the principal properties of aluminium. But the metal thus obtained was scarcely as fusible as cast iron, without doubt because of the platinum with which it had alloyed during its preparation. In addition to this, it decomposed water at 100°, from which we suppose that it was still impregnated with K or A12C16. It is to II. St. Claire Deville that the honor belongs of having in 1854 isolated aluminium in a state of almost perfect purity, determining its true properties. In commencing researches on aluminium, Deville, while he applied the method of Wöhler, was ignorant of the latter's results of 1845. Besides, he was not seeking to produce aluminium that he might turn its valuable properties to practical account, but that it might serve for the production of AlO, which he believed could exist as well as FeO. The aluminium he wished to prepare would, he thought, by its further reaction on AlCl form AICI, from which he might derive A10 and the other proto-salts. But this proto-chloride was not thus produced; he obtained, enclosed in a mass of Al2C16.2KCl, fine globules of a brilliant substance, ductile, malleable, and very light, capable of being melted in a muffle without oxidizing, attacked by HINO3 with difficulty, but dissolved easily by HCl or KOH with evolution of hydrogen. Recognizing the importance of these properties, which he proceeded to investigate and establish, and fearing to see the honor of his discovery pass into other hands, Deville immediately commenced research for an economic process to produce aluminium. The task was difficult, for the metal could only be isolated from its chloride or fluoride by potassium or sodium, of which only the former was known at that time. Moreover, potassium cost then 900 fr. per kilo, was extremely dangerous, and gave only a small return of aluminium. Deville succeeded in advantageously replacing potassium by sodium, and introduced such improvements into the manufacture of the latter that he reduced the cost of a kilo from 2000 fr. in 1855 to 10 fr. in 1859. In order to produce aluminium cheaply, he busied himself also in the economic production of Al2O3, which gave later a lively impulse to the cryolite and beauxite industries. The researches of Deville, at first undertaken in |