On new compounds of carbon and hydrogen, and on certain other products obtained during the decomposition of oil by heat / [Michael Faraday].

  • Michael Faraday
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On new compounds of carbon and hydrogen, and on certain other products obtained during the decomposition of oil by heat / [Michael Faraday]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The heat continued gradually to rise, and before the substance was all volatized, it had attained 250°. With the hope of separating some distinct substances from this evident mixture, a quantity of it was distilled, and the vapours condensed at a temperature of o° into separate por- tions, the receiver being changed with each rise of io° in the retort, and the liquid retained in a state of incipient ebullition. In this way a succession of products were obtained ; but they were by no means constant; for the portions, for instance, which came over when the fluid was boiling from 160° to 170°, when redistilled, began to boil at 130°, and a part re- mained which did not rise under 200°. By repeatedly recti- fying all these portions, and adding similar products toge- ther, I was able to diminish these differences of temperature, and at last bring them more nearly to resemble a series of substances of different volatility. During these operations I had occasion to remark, that the boiling point was more constant at, or between 176° and 190°, than at any other temperature ; large quantities of fluid distilling over without any change in the degree; whilst in other parts of the series it was constantly rising. This induced me to search in the products obtained between these points for some definite substance, and I ultimately succeeded in separating a new compound of carbon and hydrogen, which I may by anticipa- tion distinguish as bi-carburet of hydrogen. Bi-carburet of hydrogen. This substance was obtained in the first instance in the following manner: tubes containing portions of the above rectified products were introduced into a freezing mixture at