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The Role of Science in War 42-04-14 A. X. Schmidt
00:13:58
The Role of Science in War 42-04-14 A. X. Schmidt
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A
What do you think makes the perfect snack?
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B
Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
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C
Could you be more specific?
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B
When it's cravinient.
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C
Okay.
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B
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. p.m.
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C
I'm seeing a pattern here.
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B
Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.
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C
Crave, which is anything from AM PM.
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B
What more could you want?
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A
Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM PM Too much. Good stuff.
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D
Just to remind you, ladies and gentlemen, that John Kirby and his orchestra, a really fine jazz band, will highlight today's America in Swing broadcast, a Festival feature at 4 this afternoon. Here is music in the jazz idiom, music of a high order that every listener will enjoy. We invite you to listen in at WorldCom each Saturday at this time your city station, cooperating with the City College Civilian Defense Council presents a talk on the broad subject of the role of science in the war. Eminem authorities discuss the contributions of chemistry, biology, physics and engineering to the victory that democracy must win. Now Today for the second broadcast in our series, our program guest is Mr. A.S. smith of the Department of Chemical Engineering at City College who will speak on nylon and the war effort. Mr. Schmidt.
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C
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. From olden times, silk has been sized as the fabric of luxury, a raiment of royalty. As early as the middle of the 17th century, scientists had already begun to dream of making by synthetic means a fiber which would have the properties of silk. Today that dream has become a reality. A reality that is playing an important part in our war effort. In a previous lecture, we discussed the chemist's discovery that all textile materials are composed of molecules which are in the shape of very long flexible chains. Indeed, since then he has established the cardinal principle that if any substance, natural or synthetic, is to be spinnable into fibers and threads, it is essential that it be composed of these long chain like molecules. Further, he has learned how to build such chain molecules synthetically and by this means has produced the man made fabrics known to us as rayon, selanese, vinyon and nylon. The first commercial successes in this direction came in the early years of the 20th century with the production of the several kinds of rayons. These rayons possess many of the outward properties of silk. They are contributing a great deal to our material welfare by making available silk like cloths and garments at prices considerably below that of silk. And however, on the basis of chemical constitution, the rayons differ radically from silk. They are made from chain type molecules of cellulose obtained from trees or the cotton plant or other members of the vegetable kingdom. Silk, on the other hand, is a protean from the animal kingdom. The delicate silk, the silkworm, which can thrive only in special climates, spins it into a long thread from a body secretion informing its cocoon. Due to this wide discrepancy in chemical constitution, there are limits to the degree with which rayons can be made to resemble silk. For example, they have not as yet proven to be truly satisfactory silk substitutes for the silk required by our armed forces. In warfare, silk is needed for the powder bags, for large caliber guns, and for the manufacture of parachutes. Let us consider what this means to us. The United States produces no raw silk whatever. It is therefore, on our list of strategic materials. The production of raw silk is confined almost entirely to three countries. Japan produces 70%, China 20, and Italy 10% of the three, Japan and Italy will naturally not supply us. While war torn China cannot supply us. Does this mean that we are facing an acute problem? Does it mean that when our present stores of silk are used up, the war effort will be crippled? The answer, fortunately, is no. It was left to Wallace H. Carruthers, one of the leading American chemists of our generation, to save us from this dilemma. About 10 years ago, he and his co workers discovered how to make a new kind of chain molecule in the chemical laboratory. It is called a polyamide. Chemically, it resembles the proteins and is therefore much closer in composition to silk than any of the man made textile molecules that preceded it. Along uphill spirits involving a great deal of research and invention was required to translate this laboratory discovery into practical results. But in 1940, the new synthetic material appeared on the market under the trade name of nylon, a product of American research. It was an immediate commercial success. American women have already had firsthand experience with this new material in the form of stockings. Many of them actually prefer nylon to silk, and for good reason. In several important respects, nylon is superior to silk. For example, it is stronger, more elastic, dries faster after washing, and is completely mildew proof. Warfare agencies have had a similar experience. They find that nylon makes parachutes which are, if anything, better than those manufactured themselves. We previously mentioned 1940 as the date when nylon first appeared on the consumer market. Just in time. From the standpoint of the war effort, our problem of soaks for war needs is partially solved. Certainly it is not acute. There are stockpiles of silk on hand and excellent parachutes can be made from nylon. However, there is still cause to be careful with silk. We must not waste what we have. It is still the best material for making powder bags for large caliber guns. When the gun is fired, the powder bag must burn rapidly, completely and cleanly. No other textile burns and flashes the way silk does. Although some types of rayon are fairly satisfactory in this respect. Luckily good powder bags can be made from waste silk. Public spirited women can therefore contribute to the war effort by saving outworn silk articles against a future day of possible need. Care should be taken not to mix rayon or nylon with this silk. Turning now to another side of the question, every woman is naturally interested in what the future may hold with regard to that especially important item, her stockings. Indeed, recent advices from usually reliable sources indicate that this is a matter of concern to our armed forces as well as the cause of the fashionably encased leg. As a means of maintaining morale in the ranks of an embattled nation may be eloquently and admirably pleaded. But seriously, what should a woman do about stockings and what may she expect of the future? In normal times, women's stockings are the largest single outlet for silk. There will undoubtedly be a shortage of silk for non defense purposes. In fact, it is already here. The most selfish and unpatriotic thing a woman can do under the circumstances is to attempt to hoard a store of hosiery. The best things she can do from a constructive standpoint are the first, buy stockings only as needed and in normal amounts. Second, take particularly good care of them. Third, try nylon or rayon stocking for the new types of silk of Lyle hose that have come on the market during the last few years. This Lisle hosiery is distinctly superior to that of a decade ago. Remarkable in wearing properties and excellent in appearance to the woman who will act patriotically in this situation. And this means, after all, acting rationally and unselfishly. There is this to the capacity of our nylon plants is being increased as rapidly as possible. The day will come in the not too far distant future when we shall not have to depend at all upon the so called. Most of the world's silkworms may be Japanese nationals working for the forces of darkness, but we have American chemical and technological genius working for us. But nylon is not the only synthetic fiber of merit. There are the rayons with which we are all familiar because of the comparatively long time over which they have been available as articles of commerce. There are also two newcomers of Outstanding interest, which we shall consider briefly. One is Vignon. Vignon is water repellent and dries with unusual rapidity. It is completely mildew proof and will not burn up to the present. It has been used mainly for making felts, industrial filter cloths, shower curtains, umbrella fabrics and the like. But it also has possibilities as a stocking material. Although still in the experimental stage, full fashioned women's hose of excellent appearance and wearing properties have been made from it. The other new synthetic fabric is fiberglass. The characteristics of glass in its more common forms are well known to us all. Among them are strength, durability, cleanliness, insulating properties, both thermal and electrical, and brittleness. When glass is spun into fibers about 15 times as fine as a human hair, it retains all of the before mentioned characteristics except brittleness. In place of the brittleness, there is pliability and resiliency. These fine fibers are woven into cloth, which is used extensively in the electrical industry as insulation for electric motors, generators and so on. But the fabrics may also be woven into brocades, satins and damasks of exceeding beauty. These new products are already being used for drapes, bedspreads and tablecloths, gowns and even hats and neckties. Besides great beauty and other desirable features, the glass fabrics are durable, color fast and shrink proof. You have heard part of the story of the synthetic fibers, but as yet we have neglected to mention the raw materials from which the chemist makes them. The list is fantastic enough, including as it does wood, glass, limestone, coal, water and air. In all ways, the story is as romantic as the tale of Cinderella and the glass slipper, and more wonderful because it is true. The fairy princess does not wave a magic wand to make beautiful, useful fabrics out of thin air. It is the chemist and the engineer wielding the stern yardsticks of cold reason and hard work.
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D
Thank you very much, Doctor. Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Ax Schmidt. The Department of Chemical Engineering and City College has discussed this morning Nylon and the War Effort. One of the weekly broadcasts concerned with the broad subject the role of science in the war. These programs are brought to you by your city station in cooperation with the City College Civilian Defense Council and during broadcasts in the Public Service series Eminem. Authorities will discuss contributions of chemistry, biology, physics and engineering. Through the victory of the chat, democracies must win. This is the Municipal Broadcasting System.
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A
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