Document EmmEKxGYbLa1wDeBGGXOMzGjL

vtowm&L ;-6f f ic e . Le t t e r f r o m Gloucester City OFFICE , Cleveland W. R. Siepleis, an s w k r in s ttrroi o f 12-4.4 dat e December 20, 1944 ' s u bj ec t History - Gloucester Plant Dic t at ed - by HRS Dept . Dearer, Splins' lou hare & Mg assignment to cover Me operations of the colony, and my- help to you is rather difficult because our history has not been too Happy. It -is to write about .success than about difficulties. The history of-this plant, however, has been cm' of continued courage and ddggad determination. For what it may be worth, 1 am attaching my comments. It seams' i^Mciicei to say much about psrisonslitiesV but 1 sm sending a .cojy; of:iMsi^ttei^\history ;to Col. ;*; War, rad-he may choose, to comment on It to ypu. ~ r7 ~ ^ Wishing you^alse'-the Season's Greetings, I -Sours truly. % **" !i 2S! cc EBN^ll tsQimie- r 4 -axtRi-twnrwneuner i's eeujj3rbe Hevertheless, as the need for titanium became more pressing, this process was investigated again by Messrs. E. E. Ware and H. F. Saunders. They added to their group R. M. Roosevelt, who had been president of The Titanium Pigments Corporation, the major producer in the country. After considerable investigation it was decided that the Burgess proposition was not a process but Mat it offered enough prospects to justify further development. Accordingly, a site for a new plant was investigated along the Atlantic seaboard, and a piece of land was purchased from the City of Gloucester which had reverted to the City of Gloucester through taxes. Me Pussey and 0007-SWP-000006629 N12509.01 A HXSTORX OF PXGMMT XMltS. DKttHg The history of pigmentary titsaium dioxide began daring the first World War* The product washigh in cost end the quality was .far below that of today. He7erthlsss-:the'fprodnct';'has.found'increased.'acceptancej, and the quality has steadily improved. . - _;- When it bacam. evident that the Shensin-Williaass Company, should enter the titania field* jit was found that the titanium pigment manufacturers were in;a strongly entrenched field'protected;ith patents*.and it seemed, that 'j . - 4 ..v* `!*. *. y v..* CSf&ite&tM"** -r r it would be saost difficult't eater-this-con^ietitibni:; -::.... 1" : f - :" -jy-';- ';> About this time the-Sargess I*boratories.;;'*iM'':offering..for'Sale-a^:':;'->i`: new idea for.preparing-.titanium,dioxide through- a fluoride process -that 'was- `v; >. ' -' ;/ -I' originated ly.S. S.;STOd@mi:--tIt;wam*tvajpMcessii;and the first reports --4V?ijl/ all-against it* and .thesjs?reibrts.;war'"corpecti;: ''At'vthat-timether>wr--n4~ .. -v Tyyy ;r ' ;* ' materials available by whieh^this process couM.'hav been successfully worked out due to idle corrosion difficulties,in handling.flnoride^solntions.^^iN'-^!?'-# About that time an official of Titanium Pigments* in speaking personally and off the record about the fluoride process, stated that it was so complex: and difficult that no manufacturer was going to spend the money to . find out whether it could be made to work. nevertheless* as. the need for titanium became more pressing, this process was investigated again by Messrs. E. E. Ware and H. F. Saunders. They added to their group R. M. Roosevelt, who had been president of The Titanium Pigments Corporation* the major producer in the country. After considerable investigation it was decided that the Burgess proposition was not a process but that it offered enough prospects to justify further development. Accordingly* a site for a new plant was investigated along the Atlantic "seaboard* and a piece of land was purchased from the City of Gloucester 'which had reverted to the City of Gloucester through taxes. The Pussey and 0007-SOT-000006630 N12509.02 .. -2- ., Jones Co. built ships &t this location in World War 1. The plot comprises - - 28 acres and is located where Big Timber Creek joins the Delaware Hirer,, If one steads on the property and looks slightly to the south across the Delaware* one .'views the Nary lard. Slightly to the north' one can .see the buildings of downtown Philadelphia. It was this point of land -that_ Benjamin FraaklinJrefeE^Ki to.- as.Gloucester Point in describing bis last trip home . from Prance.' -The area is .rich in .historical significance. yj > . | -if ,*1 VvCvv`.T?'-'i ;**' ` ... , . ; . ' - ; . - :t'3 r-. ; beers - the,date. of-.;lS25i;:iand-:,0M Fort Nassau justvhslei"^ The. city charter --V.' -- V-* ` The ore for, titanium pigment manufacture is a black sand containing --... ' -1 BQfe titanium dioxide end 40? iron oxide that is brought from, the .beaches of Travancore^Province in. India. It is known as ilmanite. - Before titanium dioxide was used as pigment the Welsbach' people .- (also located in Gloucester:City) used to,cbtain^thevblack saadS; of India .. - . and separate the gnuati amount of monazite from the ilmsnite. The iimenite was discarded. The monazite was delivered to Gloucester there it was converted into wpd oxide, the substances from which gas mantles were made. Before the ore became commercially valuable ships leaving India with out a load would n their holds with the heavy black sands (145 pounds to the cubic foot) to act as ballast and dump it in the river when they reached American, shores. This new process for making titanium involves first reacting the ore with ammonium fluoride solution.. This forms a slurry of complex ammonium titanium fluorides and ammonium iron fluorides. The iron bearing mud is insoluble whereas the titanium compound is soluble at high temperatures. A separation is made by letting the slurry settle. The iron mud that settles is OOO7-SWP-OO0OOS631 Tf washed fee of water soluble materials add is then treated with ammonia which forms an absorbent iron hydrate sad an ammonium fluoride solution. The latter diluted: with water in the process, goes to the evaporator rfeere it is concen- I. trated to the original percentage of ammonium fluoride. The deer emmonium' titanium fluoride above the settled iron mud is ... -K-. r--- . . purified first by chemical treatment'sad than 1?y crystallising' it as a pur .' , -V-; compound. These pare crystals of sm6nium-:titenium `fluoride are dissolved in- " ............ t'ilSISp!feg^4H8!SSSSS8SS9363lSfeM^C'!s*.': -' `5- jviF'i'fcw s^- water sod fe&at^-^th:`:hiiMii|iffl^M^rsisf^iaMif?toirate-end.dilute ammonium;.^ fluoride. The latter goes back?touthej evaporator and'is'concentrated once mores.* ..rf-i . . .;i'' tf- ' ' 'Mtkyk-f; to the ariglnBl.' eohdwtriatx&ffi'ltb:!?iHs^tkmthr?h^abre#;3;TSe^titania hydrate. atmgp?-?5te -t, ~. - i proper washing: is sent through a large'calciner 9r',ln diameter x 150' -long- r\ - - -- ..^.v which is at an orange red heat, in- wMch'j the 'product is dried and then converted to. the desfeed titenium dioxide. This"material,* after being properly ground to the desired in#n*88^'ls^1^']dfpB^titeBin^diasdd*..ri; ftl though titanium. dioid.de ia. a commercial product ami is produced to the extent of hundreds of tons per day, it is also exceptionally pare, and the impurities which damage its brilliantly white color must be reduced to about one or two pounds per tom. This requires extensive control end vigilance is plant operation. pm a pigment is used first of all in paints. It is the only white pigment with enough Tiding "power to make certain high grade enamels possible. pm g titanium dioxide is mafla in two crystalline forms known as anatase and rutile. The latter gives the higher hiding power and is necessary for certain of these uses. On the other hand, the modern self cleaning white paints often contain the anatase crystal form which chalks freely and keeps a good white color. - . The Delaware River gives off large amounts of gases due to the . 0007-SWP-000006632 sewsgs that is dumped into it, and these tend to discolor ordinary lead, paints. The fume-proof lead free titanium paints are much more satisfactory .in. the Pb-n stria,! ph-f :a* ' ....' Titanium. dioxide. is also concerted chemically tot titanium tetra chloride, csni'iasg^ amounts of it are being used for Aits- titanium smoke .screens, in the,SouthPacific. it^ie ;'iaeorpojted into-paper to make 'toe .papffl?|i*iter- and more .' . .... . , .,...................... . . , ,..... ... .... .... ...... opaque. ~vi .7 lw|Iaitaach|7^to -'-:p*esent";'jSaturdayx'E-Bnsnto^g;.lvP% o?; s Jt*-;*:i3i^ttTimr to.'._..1.. M- f>n. VB e*cr;-t.h....a.4.n--Vl;' .it used of:pges`;is.toe _ , .Yandvibeblads print tft&nds : out g The sMtie jdg2^t;'^a'ma^^the-jpaper:easier.:;toY, read and Bt2|&t:a!^^tiJB;hss-..saBa paper pulp.M,te.,rufebr) such one'sem to ^iite^sidewlls^ contoinsl.titmiu:. dioxiiiesl:-- `EssK!.tialiy noco is being uisad in this field at the' present time, but when toe war' Is -ever, this usage will be resumed.' White ceramics eiso.contain appreciable amounts' of titanium. toe iron hydrate by-product is used to absorb hydrogen sulfide from manufactured feel gas, and it is very superior to other' iron oxides for this purpose. As the ill-smelling hydrogen sulfide is removed from toe gas, the red iron, hydrate turns black. However, when oxygen from the air strikes it, toe iron turns red once more and can be used over. toe fluoride titanium process, as described, does cot sound very difficult. Actually it is one of the most complex chemical engineering processes in operation today, toe evaporator used in concentrating dilute ammonium fluoride solution had to be made of silver and it contains $125,000 worth of silver, toe ammonia and hydrofluoric acid used: in the process axe expensive and have to be carefully recovered, in order that they may be used repeatedly. This is illustrated by the fact that the material that enters into toe initial reaction costs four times as much *>* the value of the titanium ---------n, - ----- :..... _ -- 0007-SWP-000006633 oxia produced* The process is more like the Solvay soda process than the eospetltiins :titahiua process.-,' Ih-plant; contains large stripping towers and' absorbers'for.`the smoiiiaj'end'diffwentfHSateafisls -of. construction hare to be- /; -i used, in'different.iplaees' throughout-the plant to meet1 ike special, corrosion ' problem-in"each part- of the plant.- ..-In-.some places ..steel can be used. In others stainless- stsel^is practical..., .For.-soiB* places silver is the only accept able material, end in others rnbbsrsto&fearboa -products, 'known as Karbate, are used'o - " ' - ~ ^Tr' f' f-' The,tndsmmtEl"`stepSi-in-;this`TOocess have been voted-eat, but'`.thee f - . : -r......... question of hour it can compete" under- normal- conditions with the established- v '" - ' process -on a cost basis- xeaains-;to';.be:-prosB-:: -' 'The- economical success and' ; ' ' ' - --^r- failure of this process, for long ^roogetccmpetl'^oa depends on rates of corrosion, - ' `i ' rC4' _ ` - recoveries of valuable materials, steam costs, end effectiveness of the layout. . %,' ` * - - ' On advantage of the process is that there -is no disposal, problem of waste * V *' ' ' materials. ... . .; . -. ` In contrast with this process the established process consists of reacting the Ilmenite ore with concentrated sulfuric acid. Essentially all the. iron and titanium enters into solution, ifter some precipitation and de oxidation of.the iron the excess of soluble iron is crystallized out. The titanium solution is then diluted with water. A small amount of the type of material that is to be produced is added to start the reaction off in the right way, and the titanium dioxide separates out on boiling* The titanium dioxide is then separated from the liquors, tftiich are then dumped into the river, if possible. If local laws prevent such.disposal, as much as possible of the sulfuric acid has to be recovered. However, it usually costs more to recover it than to buy new acid. 0007-SWP-000006634 . Ihe titanium dioxide is separated from the associated liquors '.washed, and~bnxsed>in a calciner to titanium dioxide as in the fluoride process.. -The product is then, properly ground and' passaged in fifty pound bags for shipment.'- Ther-sulfuric,acid process that has just-been described uses large amounts of. lead-limed equipment and would probably be-sore difficult to operate than the fluoride process if there were no recovery problems eea^eet^SwiiliS2tas^ltt8:;process;,:;-r.'-.; ; y-' fy f It has been mentioned 'that .titanium dioxide een be precipitated in forms that will;ealca to -anatase or' rutil. . Bie letter d'^epS :25-S^- . '-^ more hiding- po'SET.-or.Bidtening strength, than the mates variety end was first, produced in the pilot plant at Gloucester City. .'.The difficulties in developing the fluoride process however have prevented the Shertdn-Williams Company from obtaining the rewards deserved by this forward step. The competitors have caught up and rutile is now made by the sulfuric acid process. It i?ras' stated earlier that a certain kind of titanium product was added to start the precipitation reaction off right. If a rutile producing type of seed.is used the product will tend to be rutile whereas if anatase seed is used the product will be snatase. If* rutile could be produced in large clear crystals, it would be more brilliant than the finest diamond. This is because of its higher refract ive index which also makes its great hiding power possible. Whenever a new process enters competition with an established process ther is a very difficult road ahead far it and the fluoride process has had a history no different than many others in this regard. The Sherwin- Williams Company have spent a great deal of money and have put a great deal of thought into this process with the aim of furnishing the company with a desirable process for making titanium dioxide. Simultaneously, they have A.TW *rirfffl^rnjrn*iralril1r n emit- i.var^v-v-'* - ,. n-rr in-- rr-^.............. -- -- - ------ 0007~SWP-000006635 aaaa,i. `:'r. V ' 0007-SWP-000006636 ELeveland Bit S1- . Stoastar 14,. IBM Personal ' ^ :%i**lei-Bspw*>' '. ; "'I, 1 yro MoWf jthm SB BOWD.Mt 'bam. publishing m staples f articles . 1 have prepared'on-,the Sheryls-TUlleas CS History. Fear of. these have *ilreaii^ ppm?ed. cs^effiBig the esffeer. ef this-feaMerg ami the beginning ;.5; .... .. . . * ' . . .V ;2t 2s:'^.iEiMtiod'.rt|.ra^^'-T;.o;.:e|:ehept^B|:ijeerer. the business^#^-; froE ite beginning ,ih;liS6jteTO"teil>9ffifefl^!^|fhfeysti .ssifijit consider?'^- .tMt a:flnfc:foundation' had|.b9effi:laid'"feritisite;emoa8 lssEiees .which' he -fettilt? fine*' Urn** ,,* ' * - t'^Z. -,r::-, .*:- .*. .Bogfniiaiifiilari^ "1 ? General ii: .veill :B6vlflo^eip|^:i|8&|hi^o^eei^^iitMl^^^pr^ttiT^^hastreet-! K` rCteg- devote each'.'- * rCh^tr;t-|^iti^taiil-fi^of "thelteiiEeiiS-'ffiiohras'paiBty laequersiV' 'try eeleM^liaswtietd, oil, pi**nt#-cheaiieel `-predaetaf tie csa, adrertoaHgj.reteilliiteres,:credit*- / *: -.'; ''>.- ".-. . ` My intenetien wee to treat each individual departments stressing today's condition sad then taking it hack to the inception of that parties lar divide of the business.. Over' the .yars Z have gathered a great many 'note' ch. individual'depirtiseats butlhereugkly appreciate that the heads of each department know isfinently more about the subject than I do. U-EH example of this,'! hay from: Bay- Thomas, an article on the .' activities at Coffeyville. This is preceeded by eh article written by Boss Padgett, taking the Osark,Smelting end Mining Co. back to the time when w> first took over from Cordon, and Ir. Hain became the superin- . teademt. '.' '. ' . . This research gives me date from which I can boil down a brief out- , line.of the history of'our manufacture of.leaded sine, Uthopone, sine sulphate*''te. to. cover, this in the few words allowed by the limited space in the VQB1D..' . ' -- ` Hey I trouble you to let me have, at your earliest convenience, an ' article on the developmeit of Titanium Pigments Division. I think you have In' mind what need1'to fit in with the rest of the series in which - I as esdeavoring to cover personalities as- sueh as ppssible with compre hensive description f the Division so that the readers of the BOBU),' .^'embracing,our entire staff of about 10,009, will..have a better eotqirehen- ^Meajof^th^iiiiole'S-t.-tesineffis..'' - :*$ '>** ' ^'--v - `V; ;\\\ <v . .*<-' : ' '. ' VI^ttank.you in.advance for your cooperation in this direction and' " remain,;, with eompUantS, of. the Season and kindest, regards, _. * OV.v-:* ' .. lours sincerely I, ' - - ---'* - ,'i'ihwhim11 -- innlimii Tar1 ` 1 UsvslssG Bid Stales' December ..14* -1844 , W$f dear fe Bepew* :." - -'! yoakaow, 'fhs SS' UBD hae'fee^.rpffifelisMst^sssele^ of articles ..X have prepayfi e ,the Shereta-WIlXiase Co. Misty4p@^ f these: have already appeared cowering the parser eg . the-'femierm: aai-M'.s - beginning f prnJnfe nsnafsetare. .' .-. .-=.-:* &$r-:.. *. Sr.**!*""* ' i .. ____________________ ___________________________,,,, (&? ^jw^tbe > burainees f -.rae tt:ta|Ittiag.,ti;JIK doM^,to<alnitJUB00i|i _ jOensiderj . that a'firE'.'feBsdstiosa.-feM bs*a;iaAd':&fffct' "*** ' has'lM^'tttli''iiBN.1iiMB' . V^v. --slSsifeitihidb'^ s' :. r- '-. '``ti" &^_ss..feg_|iB..ho.rt.l.y..eftr 1198. whea.;,, ^sssfemibThppeiBted ,*.; ' Gescg^f.Mrael^SthSv'lHSiBass *scpad`figdrS^aigal.Vipl *l'^^|Mt^Tp^|^Bctes audit ? ill ,treat- i 2ag;dt;is'(K9&leiieel .'^r*|ii'4xhffiTO*[li#Biad^p^lf^K(ifete each Cfeafte,le 'ffi: iMiTidU8l/ psrt.f'.tbB dsy. eolorai^ insecticides, oil,-''pigmentsj ;-a1iwleiM^wgSp^|!i:*ilJi~caa9 ' adwerfeiHg, retaSll stores* credit, etc* ' '-- .V ' ,*. v* a* -S?-w ' .' ^r'lntaneticu was to treat each individual *,:. stressings bsiiyf s. eaaditien and then taking itback to the iacep' of that parties- -Ire division of. the- business.. Over the jars 1 hive; __ l *| great. WKDJ note* ca individual departments buttioreughly apprecia` the heads of .each department .know infineafcly sore tbaut the subject than I do. XvS'-. aSf* la s enmpls of this*': I 'hare from. Bey Thomas, as article' on the ', aetlvltiet at Cofftywille. Shis: is prscetdsd by an ertiele trrittm by Boss Padgett, taking the Oserk, Smelting end Mining Co. beck to the time rnhsa ifcfireb took over from' Gordon*' end Mr. Sails feesas the snipsrin- . tsndauw.v., -v;.;'. . ' Shis research.gives me deta from which 1 can boil dose a brief out..line of the history of-our manufacture of^leaded sine, lithopone, sine sulphate, etc.', to cower this in 'the'few words allowed ly the limited 'space in the I0RL8. May 1 trouble yon to let me hawe, at your earliest convenience, an ' article on 'the development of Titanium Figments Division. X think you have., in mind what I seed'to fit in with-the. rest of the merles in' which I as endeavoring to cover personalities as much as possible with compre hensive description of the Division so that the readers of the WORLD, - embracing our entire staff of about 10,000, .will have a better cosprehen- _Bin_.of^ thLi&ole'S-* boeiaess.. ` X asnk you in advance for your cooperation in this, direction and n,' with eompliaents of. the Season and kindest regards, ; ' <; Tours aincerely 0ro0 SvxO> o o0 1 01 CIO ro o o I ggBgMHiaBasea tifirr^iirrm "O' |"77 ,'jEPEK N12509.0S 0007-SWP- 0 0 0 0 0 664 0 N12509.06 0007-SWF-000006641 1 (! , 1 11* The "Fluoride" process for making pigment TiQ2 is onnsd by the Shergin-ffilliams Company who developed it from a proposal by So S. Svendson, based on- the lixsolubilily .of .siaiffiM&m^iron. fluoride end: the solubility of eMosium titanium fluoride./-#'. In its simplest expression, dlmenite-.ore is digested, with. ammonium fluoride solution at an. ele'BUtstd temparaturCo .The-'.-, soluble titanium salt is separated from the insoluble iron. salt.. ; After purification of the titanium liquors to4remove heavy metals, they are reacted mith ajmaEie 'at s. definite irate: and' under- rigidly " ' controlled coacentratian" end tasqserature conditions^ to "precipitate the titansum a.a.J^drcbsjtitai^UK oxMe...,^^sihydrdnJytitaniun#0|ft osddei h&s a characteristic'X-ray pattern and is' termed-gamma titanic'^ acid. - The - Eeparated'':amEiom,TO iQuorMe solutScnra^'Ccncentra-ted'ani = ' returned to the start of the p;rocess. The hydrous titanium oxide is calcined' and ground", forming after disintegration, a. fine particle siEe^ nor^dialldiig ' \ pigment Ti02 of hign hiding poser and xd&tehing strength.. The aamonium fluoride.from tho iron system is also recovered and returned.to. the system... The.\p^c^s&jis..thei?sfor;s^jf-strictly cyclic and only small amounts of ammonium" fluoride have to be added to the system to replace those lost in the-operation. The process is covered by U. S. patents 1,995,334; 2,042,434; 2,042,435; 2,042,436; 2,121,992; 2,165,315; 2,174,920; 2,232,817, and by other patents pending. HADsSH July 9, 1942 HAKLAH A. BEEEB N12509.07 Q0O7-SWP-OOOOOGS42