The Silent Electric Discharge

Berthelot,1 in pointing to the nature of the reactions occurring under its influence, which are particularly similar to those of plants, advanced the following views In clear weather there exists between two strata of air only one metre apart a potential difference of 20-30 volts which, in rainy weather, can increase to about 500 volts. Reactions can already take place under the influence of such tensions thus at 7 volts a fixation of nitrogen by carbohydrates can already occur the decomposition of carbonic acid requires higher tensions. 

Opportunities for reactions on the surfaces of plants, by the formation of potential differences, are likewise continually present. In other words, Berthelot ascribes a leading part in natural syntheses to atmospheric tensions, which can neutralize one another in the form of invisible discharges (convective discharges) through thin strata of air acting like dielectrics. 

Even if this hypothesis does not seem to bo scientifically well founded, it is nevertheless suitable for showing the importance of this but little investigated domain. 

The fact that Faraday s law is not applicable shows that the reactions which are. caused by the discharge are not of a purely electrochemical nature. The chemical effect is usually larger than can be accounted for by the minimum quantities of electricity. As shown by the kind of reactions, thermic 

The actual efficiency of ozonizers is extremely small. With the best ozone apparatus and under the most favorable circumstances only about 15 per cent, of the total energy can be utilized for the chemical reaction. 

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With Nitrogen.—Donkin has shown that when a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen is subjected to the silent electric discharge, a partial union of the two gases takes place, with the formation of ammonia —... 

However, this reaction could in no way be regarded as commercial, as the quantity of ammonia produced after the gases have long been subjected to the silent electric discharge is only just sufficient to be identified by the most delicate means. 

The silent electric discharge in the presence of hydrogen causes transformation of thionyl chloride into sulphur monoclxloridc and sulphur dioxide, with hydrogen chloride 10... 

Carbon Monosulphide, CS.—This sulphur analogue of carbon monoxide is described as resulting8 on passing carbon disulphide vapour over spongy platinum, pumice stone or red-hot charcoal. It is also formed by the action of the silent electric discharge 7 on carbon disulphide or on a mixture of the latter with either hydrogen or carbon monoxide, thus ... 

The hydride is frequently obtained by partial decomposition of arsine, as by the atmospheric oxidation of an aqueous solution,2 or by the influence on the gas of the silent electric discharge.3 Gaseous arsine may also undergo decomposition by the prolonged action of air,4 chlorine,5 nitric oxide,6 nitric or sulphuric acid,7 mercuric chloride 8 or phosphorus pentaehloride.9 In the last case the reaction may be represented by the equation ... 

Sulfur tetroxide is fonned by reaction of pure oxygen and sulfur dioxide under the silent electric discharge. It is not obtained pure, but in a variable SCVSO4 ratio, and as a polymerized white solid. Another peroxide. (SC OOSC O), which is written as S2O7, is known. 

G. Falckenberg studied the formation and decomposition of ammonia in the silent electrical discharge. 

The action of the silent electric discharge upon organic compounds takes its starting point in the observation that oxygen under its influence is polymerized to ozone.. Although the work done in this field, which until recently was chiefly carried on by the French school, has not yet shown great practical results, we need not doubt that these phenomena deserve... 

Losanitsch and Jovitschitsch,3 by the action of the silent electric discharge upon a mixture of carbon monoxide with other gases, have also accomplished the following syntheses. They obtained ... 

Berthelot subjected weighed quantities of the alcohols and certain volumes of nitrogen to the action of the silent electric discharge. In most cases the action was limited to 24 hours (when it was continued for a longer period, an absorption of nitrogen no longer occurred). He obtained the following results... 

Formic Acid.—Since formic acid is easily split up by the silent electric discharge into carbon mon- and dioxides and hydrogen a noticeable absorption of nitrogen does not occur, but formic methyl ester, although being likewise fundamentally broken up, takes up larger quantities of nitrogen. 

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