Chemistry in the Industries 271
ible coating of oxide which generally protects it from further
attack. To meet this problem there has been developed a
method of producing “Alclad” sheet with the strong alloy
wearing a thin skin of protective pure aluminum. Wings of
planes are made of this protected metal.
Aluminum, in this war, finds itself being used as an aveng-
ing agent of destruction. Powdered aluminum, plus iron
oxide, forms the dreaded thermite used in incendiary bombs.
In some bombs, the thermite merely serves to ignite mag-
nesium which burns with an intense heat and a vivid white
light.
In 1918 less than 150 million pounds of aluminum were
produced. Direct war needs of aluminum in 1942 totaled
around one billion pounds and the demand in 1943 will rise
to two billion pounds.
On the wall of General Somervell’s office hangs this motto:
“We do the impossible immediately; the miraculous takes a
little longer.” This is just about what is taking place today.
Laboratories are actively engaged in overcoming the diffi-
culties encountered in the various industries and in con-
trolling the production of practically every essential war
material.
The story of the production of magnesium is extremely
interesting. Its extensive commercial production is a triumph
in the field of chemistry. One hundred years ago a scientist
could have accurately stated that in 1943, man would be
flying in the air like a bird; and that much of the metal out
of which his machine was built had come from sea water and
clay. It would be interesting to know how such a statement
would have been received. For the first time in the history
of the world a structural metal is being obtained from the
sea. The magnesium is precipitated from the sea water as
the hydroxide; the hydroxide is neutralized with hydro-