| RefNo | AP/27/22 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Unpublished letter, 'On a new bleaching principle produced by the slow combustion of the vapour ether in atmospheric air, and by the rapid combustion of bodies in a jet of hydrogen gas' from C F [Christian Friedrich] Schoenbein to Michael Faraday |
| Creator | Schönbein; Christian Friedrich (1799-1868); German-Swiss chemist |
| Date | 18 January 1845 |
| Description | Schoenbein observes that besides well-known compounds, such as aldehydic, formic and acetic acids, there is a principle which possesses oxidizing and bleaching properties in an eminent degree. It decomposes indigo, iodide of potassium, hydroiodic acid and bromide of potassium. When in contact with water, it converts iodine into iodic acid, and sulphurous into sulphuric acid, changes the yellow ferrocyanide of potassium into the red, and the white cyanide of iron into the blue; it transforms the salts of protoxide of iron into those of the peroxide; and it discharges the colours produced by sulphuret of lead. Schoenbein points out the similarity between the action of this substance and that of chlorine and of ozone. Analogous results were obtained from the combustion of a jet of hydrogen gas in atmospheric air, and even, under particular circumstances, from the flame of a common candle, and also from various other inflammable bodies when burning under certain conditions. Schoenbein concludes that this oxidising and bleaching principle is produced in all cases of rapid combustion taking place in atmospheric air, and that its production is therefore independent of the nature of the substance which is burnt.
Annotations in pencil throughout.
Subject: Chemistry
Received 25 January 1845. Communicated by Faraday.
Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 5 of Abstracts of the Papers Printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London [later Proceedings of the Royal Society] as 'On a new bleaching principle produced by the slow combustion of aether in atmospheric air, and by the rapid combustion of bodies in a jet of hydrogen gas'. |
| Extent | 6p |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink and graphite pencil on paper |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | DOI: 10.1098/rspl.1843.0037 |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8218 | Faraday; Michael (1791 - 1867); natural philosopher | 1791 - 1867 |