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Note on the production of ammonia in nitric acid batteries
.Levison--Production qf Ammonia in IVitr@ Acid Batteries. 303,
NOTE ON THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA IN NITRIC ACID BATTEBIES, Br V/. LEvIsox. I first noticed the production of ammonia in a nitric acid battery while using a simple combination of the kind in the month of January, 1869, and on the 23d of that month I showed the phenomenon to Mr. Charles Pearce, at Cambridge. It was, however, observed under circumstances that led to its being for a long time considered due to a merely local action of the dissolving zinc upon nitric acid which had diffused through the porous cup, but recent experiments show, to my mind, that the ammonia produced in nitric acid batteries results from a reaction between the electrolytically liberated hydrogen and the nitrogen of the nitric acid in the inner cup. As no discussion of the theory of the battery, to the best of my knowledge, takes cognizance of this reaction, I thought it might be new and worthy of attention. I must, however, confine this note to a mere statement of the fact.
January 14th, 1873. I put up two small Grove cells, constructed of zinc and platinum. The inner cups were filled with a mixture of Saturated solution of potassic bichromate, Commercial oil of vitriol, Nitric acid, C . P . ,
5 parts, 2} " 1 "
The zincs, newly amalgamated, were put in dilute sulphuric acid. Distilled water only was used. One cup was set in operation, the other left. After 24 hours the liquids in these two batteries were examined for ammonia ; the cup set in operation being called Battery A, the other Battery B. In testing the liquids from inner and outer cells of both batteries, ten cubic centimeters of each were separately concentrated to about one-fifth, treated with an excess of caustic soda and the platinum dish covered with a watch-glass having a piece of red litmus paper adherent to its under side. Battery A. Liquid from inner cup. Paper immediately turned blue. Odor of ammonia strongly perceptible. Battery A. Liquid from outer cell. Paper became blue in a short time. Odor of ammonia very faint. Only a trace present. Battery B. Liquid from inner cup. Paper faintly changed in ten minutes. No odor of ammonia perceptible. Battery B. Liquid from outside cup. Same result precisely. Local action does not produce ammonia in important quantity.
~04
Editorial.
January 26th, 1873. Set up a single cell, Grove form, with dilute sulphuric acid in outside cup, and a mixture of equal parts of saturated solution of potassic nitrate and Kalbfleisch's commercial oll of vitriol in inside cup. Proved in advance each liquid to be free from ammonia.
After 24 hours tested both liquids for ammonia. That from inner cup contained great quantities, but that from outer cup gave no evidence of containing ammonia. _February 1st, 1873. Set up a single cell grove with nitric and dilute sulphuric acid. Immediately after setting up, and before closing circuit, tested both liquids for ammonia. The nitric acid gave no trace of the sulphuric acid; gave a faint ammonia reaction, and yielded u trace of nitric acid, which probably got into it by diffusion through the porous cup. Ten minutes after putting battery in operation, ammonia in large quantity was found in inner cell. The conversion of nitric acid into ammonia must be taken into consideration in preparing the nitro.chromic battery fluid, as proposed by me in the "Journal of the Franklin Institute," vol. 59, page 376, inasmuch as sufficient nitric acid must be used in excess of the quantity converted into ammonia during the time which elapses before the last molecule of chromic acid is reduced to chromic oxide.
QUEBEC, March 25th, 1873. E d i t o r of Journal of F r a n k l i n I n s t i t u t e :
DEAR S~R,--I notice in this month's issue of your journal an account of an improved method of bending glass tubes for laboratory purposes. I have long used a plan which, though" probably adopted by many, I have not seen recommended. Instead of heating the tube in the flame of a Bunsen burner, I do so in the luminous flame of an ordinary fish-tail or bat's-wing burner, placing the tube across the flame when I want a sharp bend, but lengthways in the flame when I wish it to be gradual. Of course the tube is blackened, but the carbon van be readily wiped off with a dry cloth when the tube is cool. The diameter of the tube is much less likely to be contracted than when the ordinary method is employed. Yours, J. DOUGLAS,JR.
NOTE ON THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA IN NITRIC ACID BATTEBIES, Br V/. LEvIsox. I first noticed the production of ammonia in a nitric acid battery while using a simple combination of the kind in the month of January, 1869, and on the 23d of that month I showed the phenomenon to Mr. Charles Pearce, at Cambridge. It was, however, observed under circumstances that led to its being for a long time considered due to a merely local action of the dissolving zinc upon nitric acid which had diffused through the porous cup, but recent experiments show, to my mind, that the ammonia produced in nitric acid batteries results from a reaction between the electrolytically liberated hydrogen and the nitrogen of the nitric acid in the inner cup. As no discussion of the theory of the battery, to the best of my knowledge, takes cognizance of this reaction, I thought it might be new and worthy of attention. I must, however, confine this note to a mere statement of the fact.
January 14th, 1873. I put up two small Grove cells, constructed of zinc and platinum. The inner cups were filled with a mixture of Saturated solution of potassic bichromate, Commercial oil of vitriol, Nitric acid, C . P . ,
5 parts, 2} " 1 "
The zincs, newly amalgamated, were put in dilute sulphuric acid. Distilled water only was used. One cup was set in operation, the other left. After 24 hours the liquids in these two batteries were examined for ammonia ; the cup set in operation being called Battery A, the other Battery B. In testing the liquids from inner and outer cells of both batteries, ten cubic centimeters of each were separately concentrated to about one-fifth, treated with an excess of caustic soda and the platinum dish covered with a watch-glass having a piece of red litmus paper adherent to its under side. Battery A. Liquid from inner cup. Paper immediately turned blue. Odor of ammonia strongly perceptible. Battery A. Liquid from outer cell. Paper became blue in a short time. Odor of ammonia very faint. Only a trace present. Battery B. Liquid from inner cup. Paper faintly changed in ten minutes. No odor of ammonia perceptible. Battery B. Liquid from outside cup. Same result precisely. Local action does not produce ammonia in important quantity.
~04
Editorial.
January 26th, 1873. Set up a single cell, Grove form, with dilute sulphuric acid in outside cup, and a mixture of equal parts of saturated solution of potassic nitrate and Kalbfleisch's commercial oll of vitriol in inside cup. Proved in advance each liquid to be free from ammonia.
After 24 hours tested both liquids for ammonia. That from inner cup contained great quantities, but that from outer cup gave no evidence of containing ammonia. _February 1st, 1873. Set up a single cell grove with nitric and dilute sulphuric acid. Immediately after setting up, and before closing circuit, tested both liquids for ammonia. The nitric acid gave no trace of the sulphuric acid; gave a faint ammonia reaction, and yielded u trace of nitric acid, which probably got into it by diffusion through the porous cup. Ten minutes after putting battery in operation, ammonia in large quantity was found in inner cell. The conversion of nitric acid into ammonia must be taken into consideration in preparing the nitro.chromic battery fluid, as proposed by me in the "Journal of the Franklin Institute," vol. 59, page 376, inasmuch as sufficient nitric acid must be used in excess of the quantity converted into ammonia during the time which elapses before the last molecule of chromic acid is reduced to chromic oxide.
QUEBEC, March 25th, 1873. E d i t o r of Journal of F r a n k l i n I n s t i t u t e :
DEAR S~R,--I notice in this month's issue of your journal an account of an improved method of bending glass tubes for laboratory purposes. I have long used a plan which, though" probably adopted by many, I have not seen recommended. Instead of heating the tube in the flame of a Bunsen burner, I do so in the luminous flame of an ordinary fish-tail or bat's-wing burner, placing the tube across the flame when I want a sharp bend, but lengthways in the flame when I wish it to be gradual. Of course the tube is blackened, but the carbon van be readily wiped off with a dry cloth when the tube is cool. The diameter of the tube is much less likely to be contracted than when the ordinary method is employed. Yours, J. DOUGLAS,JR.