Patented Oct.

14, 1952 2,614,083

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,614,083
IETA, CHLORDE SCREENING
SOEE XTURE
John C. Bailar, Jr. and Robert W. Parry, Urbana,
I, assignors to the United States of America.
as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
No Drawing. Application October 13, 1944,
Serial No. 558,60
1. Claim. (C. 252-305)
2
This invention relates to a screening smoke mixture which approximates this composition,
mixture. It is particularly concerned with a Some lattitude may be observed in the propor
chloride-containing mixture wherein the chlorine tions of the Various ingredients which are in
is a SSociated with an inorganic rather than an Corporated in the mix.
Organic carrier. Upon ignition, the reaction of the mixture ap
The production of smoke screens is a problem. pears to proceed as follows:
which has received great attention, for mixtures
which will produce an adequate screen of smoke
are. Of considerable importance not only in War
time, but in times of peace as well. It has been O
known that mixtures which incorporate chlorine While good results can be obtained by using the
as One of the ingredients would produce Superior mixture described above, the efficiency of the
Smoke Screens on burning of the mixture. How process may be somewhat further increased by
ever, customary practice has been to provide an adding a Small percentage of hexachlorethane
organic carrier for the chlorine, and this pro 5 (C2Cl6) to remove the iron produced in the
cedure has suffered the obvious drawbacks at reaction.
tendant on carriers of this type. Within the Scope of the appended claim, various
We have found that a greatly superior screen modifications and changes in the nature and
ing Smoke mixture can be produced by using a proportions of the ingredientS may be made by
complex compound of potassium chloride and 20 those skilled in the art without departing from
ferric chloride known as potassium ferrichloride. the nature of the invention.
: This complex compound, which has the formula, What is claimed is:
KFeCl4, Serves as a carrier for the amount of A Smoke-producing composition consisting of
chlorine necessary for the production of the de about 8 per cent powdered aluminum, about 30
sired gases formed on burning the mixture, which 25 percent zinc oxide, about 2.2 per cent Sodium
also contains other ingredients as described be nitrate, and about 59.8 per cent the material
OW. This complex chlorine-containing compound prepared by heating to dryness at temperatures
can be prepared from hydrated ferric, chloride below 205 C. a mixture of equimolecular pro
and potassium chloride by the practice of a simple portions of potassium chloride and hydrated ferric
one-step evaporation process, preferably carried chloride.
out at temperatures below 205. C., whereby equi JOHN C. BAITAR, JR.
molar quantities of FeC3' 6H2O and of KCl are ROBERT W., PARRY.
heated together in an evaporating vessel until REFERENCES CITED
the Wateris all removed. The resulting compound
is then ground, preferably to a fineness whereby The following references are of record in the
35 file of this patent:
the material can pass through a 20 mesh Screen,
the ground material then being ready to incorpo UNITED STATES PATENTS
rate in the mixture. Number Name Date
The mixture itself, in addition to the potassium 2,409,201Finkelstein -------- Oct. 15, 1946
ferrichloride, contains elemental aluminum pow 40
der, zinc oxide, and Sodium nitrate. Where de FOREIGN PATENTS
:, sired, equivalent materials may be substituted in Number Country Date
whole or in part for any of these ingredients, 127,031 Great Britain ------ May 29, 1919
The recommended composition is one containing OTHER REFERENCES
8 per cent Al, 30 per cent BnO, 2.2 per cent 45
NaHO3 and 59.8 per cent KFeC14. While best re Mellor, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry
Sults can be obtained through utilization of a (1928), vol. 14 (pages 104-105).