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Fast reactions in solids
456
BOOK REVIEWS
and R. Trautman, and T. Willand. One is impressed by the important analyses and separations which these relatively new methods have made possible. But, here again, the reader would probably have gained from some reorganization of the book. For example, the chapter on the applications of zone-electrophoresis is reserved for the end of the book, separated by four chapters from the other two chapters dealing with electrophoresis on paper and other supporting media. The clinical and physiological applications of electrophoresis are discussed by D. Moore; and C. C. Brinton, Jr., and M. A. Lauffer treat microscopic electrophoresis. The reviewer objects to the use of the term "anomalies" when referring to nonideal electrophoretie behaviors (e.g., p. 324 and p. 440) which are understood at least qualitatively. It should also be pointed out that the statement on page 494 to the effect that electrophoretic separations of low molecular weight substances can be accomplished only by methods utilizing supporting media, does not take cognizanee of the fact that moving-boundary eleetrophoresis has been used for the quantitative analysis of mixtures of adenosinephosphates and glutamic and aspartie acids. Finally, the book is a bit repetitious, but this is difficult to avoid with a large number of contributors. In any ease, this is an important book which brings the reader up to date in a rapidly expanding field and should be an invaluable aid to the researcher who wishes to apply electrophoresis to his problems, whether biochemical, biophysical, clinical, or industrial in nature. JOHN R. CANN, Denver, Colorado Fast Reactions in Solids. By F. P. BOWDEN AND A. D. YOFFE,Academic Press, New York and London, 1959. x -t- 164 pp. Price $7.00 The authors of this monograph and their colleagues at the Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Physics, Cambridge University, are well known for their investigations into solid state decompositions. An earlier work by the same authors (1952) described experimental studies on mechanisms of initiating explosions in liquids and solids. Here they describe more recent researches in this field. In particular they are concerned with the mechanisms by which an explosive crystal can be decomposed when subjected to heat, light, shock, or nuclear radiation. High-resolution electron microscopy combined with electron diffraction is used to investigate the early stages of decomposition. High-speed photography and electronic methods are employed to follow the fast reactions. This book is certainly of first importance to the relatively few workers in this field. Its appeal, however, is much wider. Experimental problems of studying reactions which are complete in the millisecond-microsecond range and are often initiated in minute "hot spots" have been met in ingenious and fascinating ways. An example of the approach is the study of the electron diffraction pattern of a crystal of silver azide in the process of decomposition, clearly showing that the silver azide lattice is converted to a special silver lattice based on the silver azide structure and then this lattice collapses to the normal silver lattice. At the same time, normal silver crystals are formed on surface defects and grow down into the crystal. The photographs are particularly striking. One set demonstrates the initiation of explosions in the nitroglycerin by the intersection of three (but not two or one) shock waves. Another remarkable series shows the decomposition of silver crystals of various substances when exposed to hot wires. Implicit in the entire discussion is a slight air of excitement because of the violent nature of most of the compounds. This book is recommended to scientists of all sorts for browsing, to physical chemists for the unique experimental techniques, and to specialists in solid-state kinetics as an authoritative report on recent progress in this field. BENSON R. SVNDnEIlVl, New York, New York
BOOK REVIEWS
and R. Trautman, and T. Willand. One is impressed by the important analyses and separations which these relatively new methods have made possible. But, here again, the reader would probably have gained from some reorganization of the book. For example, the chapter on the applications of zone-electrophoresis is reserved for the end of the book, separated by four chapters from the other two chapters dealing with electrophoresis on paper and other supporting media. The clinical and physiological applications of electrophoresis are discussed by D. Moore; and C. C. Brinton, Jr., and M. A. Lauffer treat microscopic electrophoresis. The reviewer objects to the use of the term "anomalies" when referring to nonideal electrophoretie behaviors (e.g., p. 324 and p. 440) which are understood at least qualitatively. It should also be pointed out that the statement on page 494 to the effect that electrophoretic separations of low molecular weight substances can be accomplished only by methods utilizing supporting media, does not take cognizanee of the fact that moving-boundary eleetrophoresis has been used for the quantitative analysis of mixtures of adenosinephosphates and glutamic and aspartie acids. Finally, the book is a bit repetitious, but this is difficult to avoid with a large number of contributors. In any ease, this is an important book which brings the reader up to date in a rapidly expanding field and should be an invaluable aid to the researcher who wishes to apply electrophoresis to his problems, whether biochemical, biophysical, clinical, or industrial in nature. JOHN R. CANN, Denver, Colorado Fast Reactions in Solids. By F. P. BOWDEN AND A. D. YOFFE,Academic Press, New York and London, 1959. x -t- 164 pp. Price $7.00 The authors of this monograph and their colleagues at the Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Physics, Cambridge University, are well known for their investigations into solid state decompositions. An earlier work by the same authors (1952) described experimental studies on mechanisms of initiating explosions in liquids and solids. Here they describe more recent researches in this field. In particular they are concerned with the mechanisms by which an explosive crystal can be decomposed when subjected to heat, light, shock, or nuclear radiation. High-resolution electron microscopy combined with electron diffraction is used to investigate the early stages of decomposition. High-speed photography and electronic methods are employed to follow the fast reactions. This book is certainly of first importance to the relatively few workers in this field. Its appeal, however, is much wider. Experimental problems of studying reactions which are complete in the millisecond-microsecond range and are often initiated in minute "hot spots" have been met in ingenious and fascinating ways. An example of the approach is the study of the electron diffraction pattern of a crystal of silver azide in the process of decomposition, clearly showing that the silver azide lattice is converted to a special silver lattice based on the silver azide structure and then this lattice collapses to the normal silver lattice. At the same time, normal silver crystals are formed on surface defects and grow down into the crystal. The photographs are particularly striking. One set demonstrates the initiation of explosions in the nitroglycerin by the intersection of three (but not two or one) shock waves. Another remarkable series shows the decomposition of silver crystals of various substances when exposed to hot wires. Implicit in the entire discussion is a slight air of excitement because of the violent nature of most of the compounds. This book is recommended to scientists of all sorts for browsing, to physical chemists for the unique experimental techniques, and to specialists in solid-state kinetics as an authoritative report on recent progress in this field. BENSON R. SVNDnEIlVl, New York, New York