GB165832A - A cheap substitute for horn, ebonite, vulcanite, and other like substances - Google Patents

Abstract

165,832. Fitzgerald, F. W. V. July 8, 1919. Plastic compositions containing blood.-In preparing solid mouldable products from blood, the blood is treated to yield liquid or solid intermediate products which are coagulated by heat or by admixture with coagulants such as formaldehyde, strong alkalies or acids, metallic salts, chromates, &c. Three classes of intermediate products are described. (a) liquid products obtained by evaporating blood, which has been defibrinated or treated with a citrate to preserve its fluidity, by heating it in an open vessel fitted with a stirrer and kept at 115-120‹ F. or in an open tray fitted with baffles to cause the blood to flow in a zig-zag path, (b) solid products obtained by continuing the evaporation in vacuo or with as little exposure to the air as possible, and (c) solid product, obtained by injecting the liquid products or fresh blood treated with a preservative into a liquid heated to 160-212‹ F. and preferably containing formaldehyde or caustic soda, and separating the solids by filtration. The liquid products, alone or mixed with the solid products, are coagulated by addition of formaldehyde or caustic soda. The mixture is poured into a mould which may be kept at 155-160‹ F. The solid product (b) is pulverized and agglomerated by heat and pressure. Calcium hydrate or oxidizing-agents such as sodium or potassium bichromate, potassium permanganate, or manganese dioxide may be added to the blood before treatment. Bubbles of air or gas are eliminated from the blood by passage through a fine mesh or by treatment in vacuo. Blood from which the corpuscles have separated by standing or otherwise may be used, and may be mixed with a solution of fibrin in potassium nitrate or other solvent. In making vulcanite or ebonite substitutes, absorbent or filling substances may be added, and in making insulating compounds, resins, gums or oils may be added. One of the Provisional Specifications describes also the precipitation from blood, by addition of diluted ethyl or methyl alcohol, of albumen, which may be mixed with other substances and moulded under heat or pressure, and also, the addition to the blood of haematin or iron salts which tend to oxidize.