JOUlKi.4L 01 POL1 h1E;H SCIENCE 7-01,. XVIII. ISSUE NO. 89 (1955)

BOOK REVIEWS Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives (High Polymers, Volume V, 2nd ed. EMIL OTT and HAROLD SPURLIN, Coeditors; Asst. Editor, MILDRED IT. GR-~FFLIK. Interscience, New York-London, 1954. Part I, xvi + 509 pp. $12.00 each.

For more than ten years the first edition of this book has been a fundamental reference work for cellulose chemists and researchers. The new edition will certainly be a stand- ard reference work for a long time ahead. It is, in fact, so revised and rewritten that it must be considered as a new worh.

The first one contains a short introduction, one chapter on the occurrence of cellulose, one on chemistry and one on microstructure of cellulose, and ends with reviews on associated substances (wood, noncellulosic carbohydrates, lignin, etc.). The second part is concerned pri- marily with the industrial applications of cellulose, pulping, bleaching, treatment of pulp for paper, and derivatives of cellulose.

This great work could not have been accomplished without the help of many special- ists. Some of them have reappeared from the first edition but rather many are new- comers. The list of collaborators (43 names) shows mostly well-known names from re- search and industry, authorities in their fields. But the editors work is not only a col- lection of good collaborators and of their manuscripts. The coordination of the con- tributions is also important. Every author has been kept within his limits, but enough freedom has been given to keep the personal style and inspiration. Repetitions are few, and if a subject is treated twice, it is treated from dif- ferent aspects and with complementary views.

Not all of them will be mentioned here. Exclusion from this short review has no relation to quality. only to the reviewers main interests. Only some notices made during the reading of the book will be given.

Cellulose is the most abundant of all naturally occurring organic compounds. . . . That is the starting sentence of Kyle Wards chapter in the first volume on the occur- rence of cellulose. Anyhow, it is astonishing to find how little is known about the forma- tion of cellulose in nature. And most of what we know is said there. The problem might not be economically essential, because we do not see the need for man competing with nature to form cellulose, but, somehow, it is challenging.

H. Marks short contribution ou interaction and arrangement of cellulose chains is masterfully written and one enjoys reading it. The chapter on submicroscopic struc- ture by J. A. Howsmon and W. A. Sisson is rather far advanced beyond the publications in scientific journals because the authors have included their own and some other un- published results. They give a very clear picture of the relation between accessibility and crystallinity, and the possibilities of measuring the molecular order by various means.

It is quite up to date. The reviewer would like to see more kinetic views applied in studies of sorption in the future. Kinetics of sorption and desorption will certainly both give increased knowledge of fiber structnre and be of practical importance for the industrial isolation and use of cellulose.

The chapter on wood by H. F. Lewis and G. J. Ritter has extremely beautiful and in- structive microphotographs. The nomenclature of noncellulosic carbohydrate is still rather confusing, although A. G. Norman makes an appraisable trial to clear it up. He does not use the term wood polyoses which has been proposed by Staudinger and which should be helpful.

443

In 3 parts).

Part 11, viii + 546 pp.

So far only two parts have appeared, a third one is expected.

This has been done very well.

In general the individual contributions are good.

Hardly one page is devoted to this subject.

The structure-sorption relationship is also treated by J. A. Howsmon.

444 BOOK REVIEWS

The second volume is concerned with cellulose in industry. I t is natural that some limitations have been made. The lumber industry and the textile industry are not in- cluded, obviously because the book is primarily concerned with cellulose chemistry. On the other hand, i i chapter on dyeing and probably one on the finishing of cellulosic textiles and paper w-odd have been of interest because the absorption of dyestuffs and the chemical finishing of cellulose fibers are closely related to problems of structure and chemical behavior. Some notices regarding dyeing and finishing are found in various chapters.

If someone should be mentioned specially, it would be 1. M. Spurlins article on reactivity and reactions of cellulose, which critically summarizes very clearly the present status of knowledge.

In the chapter on xanthates by E. Kline one must react against the method of making references. Most of them are collected in groups, which is unpractical because it gives the reader much more work when he wishes to look up the original paper for some special point.

These books on cellulose and its derivatives form a very reliable and authoritative work. Besides that, many of the contributions are enjoyable reading. It should be placed on the book shelf of every serious cellulose chemist or technologist, not only as a most valuable reference book, but as good literature and a stimulator of research. One loohs forward very much to the completion of the work with the third volume, which is announced to contain chapters on properties of cellulose and its derivatives in solution, mechanical properties, and a completely new chapter on tests, plus an appendix with tables and the necessary indices for the whole work.

In the second volume the contributions are also of a high standard.

Nils Gralin

The Technology of Solvents and Plasticizers. Wiley, New York, 1954. 1056 pp. $18.50.

ARTHUR K. DOOLITTLE.

The decision of the author and his employers to release the results of decades of ex- perience on the interaction of solvents and polymers is very welcome. The book will be recognized as necessary by all interested in the technical phases of polymer work, so this review is directed to the scientist who might miss it.

The book starts with an extensive treatment of the practical problems involved in the use of solutions of nitrocellulose, vinyl copolymers, and other polymers for coatings and spun fibers. The wealth of material on gelation phenomena, viscosity-concentration and viscosity-temperature relationships, and the evaluation of solvent power should be of great interest to the scientist as well as the practical man.

There has been an excellent selection of data on individual solvents and plasticizers. Some data, such as viscosity of plasticizers and vapor pressure of solvents as a function of temperature, are collected in convenient graphical form. Azeotropes are listed. Ex- tensive tables of solvent-resin compatibility are given. Other data will be found under the individual compounds. For example, under acetone are found: properties of both the pure and the technical products; half a page of uses; tables of specific gravity-temperature of anhydrous acetone and specific gravity-concentration for acetone-water mixtures; graphs of specific gravity of acetone- diacetone alcohol mixtures; gasoline tolerance of acetone-water mixtures; viscosity- temperature; viscosity-water concentration; phase diagram for acetone-water ; boiling point of acetone-water; liquid-vapor equilibrium for acetone with water, ethyl ether, methanol, ethanol, and benzene. Possibly only in the case of commercial hydrocarbon solvents are the data incomplete enough to require extensive use of other sources of in- formation. Warn- ings against peroxide dangers are given when needed, but unfortunately concrete sug- gestions for dealing with peroxides are missing.

Some listings are very complete.

Safety data, such as toxicity and explosive limits, are usually given.