I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

January, 1925

ize the inside and outside atmospheric pressures. In this manner the tubes can be weighed consistently within 0.3 mg., depending upon the accuracy of the balance used.
Estimation in Alkali H u m u s

The results reported in Columns 3 and 4 of Table I show

that the dilutions indicated did not interfere with the carbon
determination. The method is therefore adapted to the
estimation of carbon in alkali humus extracts, without the
necessity of evaporation, which is attended under certain
conditions by loss of carbon, as shown by the following
experiment.

85

A 4 per cent ammonium hydroxide soil extract representing a

composite solution from the extraction of several differently
treated soils was equally divided. One portion was evaporated
in copper boats on a steam bath and the second portion in a Hempel dessicator in vacuo at laboratory temperature. In a second
case equal portions of humus solution were evaporated in like
manner to constant weight in platinum dishes. The carbon was
then estimated in the boats by combustion in a furnace. The
platinum dishes were ignited over a free flame. The following results were secured:
Steam bath
Humus carbon, per cent
0.8045
Loss on ignition (humus), per cent
1.6033
Results represent average of four determinations.

Hempel
0.8945
1.7130

The Surface Tension of Crude Oils

By Ellery H. Harvey
BUCKNELL
UNIVERSITY,
LEWISBURO, PA.

URING an investigation of the method of determining

surface tension with the du Nouy tensiometer, a complete set of crude oil samples, representing all the important producing fields of the United States, became available for testing. Such data as are reported herein will be,of
interest to the oil technologist and at the same time will indicate the tendency of the du Nouy readings to vary from the
results obtained with the more widely known capillary tube
and drop weight methods. Such a comparison is necessary,
since there is no recognized standard method of determining
this important constant. With over a dozen methods of
varying degrees of complexity from which to choose, and the
results obtained not being necessarily comparable, it is highly
desirable that the technic employed be indicated in reporting
any surface tension measurement.

TABLE
I-SURFACE TENSION
OF THE CRUDEOILS OF THE UNITED
STATES
(Temperature 24 C.)
STATE
OIL FIELD
Dynes
Vew York
Allegany County
30.18
?ennsylvania
Mercer County
32 92
Pennsylvania
Allegheny County
28.81
Zennsylvania
Composite of state
29.16
1,ima
30 87
-Ihio
-..
-Corning
Ohio
30.52
Indiana
Lima
30.87
Illinois
Lawrence, Crawford, and other counties
30.87
Kentucky
Big Sinkinn
30.87
Kentucky
Ragland
32.92
West Virginia
Maryland
29.49
West Virginia
Eureka
29.49
California
Eastside Coalings
34.30
California
Kern
37.72
California
Sunset
32.92
California
Sunset
35.67
California
Santa Maria
31.55
California
Montebello
35.67
Montana
Winnett
27.44
32.24
Wyoming
Big Muddy
34.30
Wyoming
Salt Creek
Colorado
Florence
32.92
31.55
Kansas
Augusta
Kansas
Florence, Peabody
31.21
29,83
Oklahoma
Billings
Oklahoma
Ponca
30.18
Oklahoma
Cushing
29.83
Oklahoma
Pershing
30.87
Oklahoma
Hewitt
31.21
Oklahoma
Madill
26.76
Texas
Burkburnett
30.01
Texas
Media
31.21
South Texas
Somerset
29.15
South Texas
Goose Creek
33.62
South Texas
Humble
34.64
South Texas
West Columbia
33.62
Arkansas
El Dorado
30.18
Louisiana
Caddo
30.52
Louisiana
Pine Island
34.30
Louisiana
Anse La Butte
34.64

The du Noiiy apparatus2 is essentially a torsion balance in

which the ring method is utilized, but instead of measuring
1 Received
2

May 16, 1924.

J . Gen. P h y s i ~ l . ,1, 521 (1919).

the tension by the time-consuming use of weights, the torsion of the wire is used to counteract the tension of the
liquid film and break it. To determine the factor for converting from dial readings to dynes per centimeter, the
instrument is standardized with distilled water a t a definite
temperature and, since this reading is only about 72, it is
assumed that the strain on the wire is proportional to the angle
torsion.
With pure liquids and in the absence of vibration and
temperature fluctuations the instrument in quite satisfactory,
no other apparatus being as simple, rapid, and requiring as
little material with which to work. When working with
solutions, in addition to the foregoing precautions, evaporation must be prevented and the surface renewed.
Table I1 furnishes a comparison between the results obtained with the du Noiiy instrument and those obtained with
the capillary tube and hanging drop methods. It is evident
from the data that the du Noiiy method tends to give results
slightly higher than either of the other methods, the results
obtained with the stalagmometer being in closer agreement
with the du Noiiy results than those obtained with the capillary tube.
TABLE
11-COMPARISON

OF RESULTSB Y VARIOUS METHODS

(Temperature, 24 C.)
du Nouy
Capillary tube
Hanging drop
Dynes
Dynes
Dynes
26.76
23.92
25.64
30.01
27.26
28.81
30.87
27.90
29.57
30.18
27.30
28.86
31.56
28.53
30.30
30.52
27.53
29.27

STATE
Oklahoma
Texas
Kentucky
New York
Kansas
Ohio

For the purpose of determining whether doser agreement

could be obtained if pure liquids were compared, the C. P.
chemicals listed in Table 111were examined.
TABLE
111-RESULTS

LIQUID
Aniline
Carbon disulfide
Chloroform
Pyridine
Toluene

WITIi PURE LIQUIDS

(Temperature, 21 C.)
du Noiiy
Capillary tube
Hanging drop
Dynes
Dynes
Dynes
46.21
44.89
45.78
36.23
33.11
34.00
31.25
27.63
29.07
40,56
38.27
39.41
32.25
28.80
29.94

While the same relative differences between the methods

persist, without a more extensive investigation illustrating to
the contrary, it does not seem possible to derive a conversion
factor that will apply in all cases.