Chapter 375 Busy Lavoisier

Chapter 376 Busy Lavoisier

"If the previous step of high temperature generation of baking soda is no problem..." Lavoisier pondered, "Oh, I just have never conducted an experiment to make baking soda with ammonia, not to question you, Your Highness.

"Other processes, such as collecting the released ammonia and carbonic acid gas, can be realized."

The "carbonic acid gas" he mentioned is carbon dioxide.

He was obviously very excited, looking at Joseph and said: "Then the price of producing soda using the method you mentioned will be only one-tenth of the current price..."

He is not only the most outstanding chemist of this era, but also has a good business mind. He immediately shook his head again: "No, more than one-tenth, because this method has no raw material restrictions. I mean, salt and lime are easy to obtain, so the output can be almost unlimited!

"Your Highness, I must return to the laboratory immediately to verify the method you mentioned.

"I swear, if this is feasible, it will definitely be a landmark event in the history of chemistry! "

He was not exaggerating at all. As the pillars of the chemical industry, the importance of three acids and two alkalis is self-evident. Among these five basic preparations, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid are relatively easy to obtain. Nitric acid, at the level of the 18th century, basically does not need to consider industrial production. Soda ash became the star of the chemical industry in the 19th century.

In fact, the French government had previously offered a large reward to collect industrial methods for making soda ash. The winner was Dr. Leblanc, who produced soda ash using a reverberatory furnace.

Although his method was expensive, it was still the most advanced technology of the era. And if Joseph's alkali method was put into production, it would directly turn him into slag.

As the two were talking, the carriage stopped at the Tuileries Palace.

Lavoisier was about to say goodbye and return to the laboratory, but he saw Mirabeau, who had been waiting here, hurried up to him and saluted Joseph and said, "Your Highness, I heard that you left the Palace of Versailles, so I guessed that you might come here. "

He had a lot of industrial development matters to report to Joseph, but the prince had been busy in the arsenal before, and he disappeared as soon as he left the arsenal today.

"It seems that you have a lot to tell me." Joseph smiled and saluted him.

"Indeed."

Mirabeau was about to go to the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau with the prince, and when he turned around, he noticed Lavoisier and bowed to him: "Oh, Mr. Lavoisier, you are here too."

"Oh, yes, but I'm leaving soon." Lavoisier touched his chest and saluted, "Your Highness told me a way to produce soda ash, and I just want to fly back to the laboratory immediately."

"Soda ash?" Mirabeau was familiar with Dupont and had some understanding of the chemical industry, "That's amazing. Soda ash is a necessity for many chemical industries."

When Joseph heard the word "chemical industry", his heart moved immediately, and he pulled Lavoisier up to the second floor: "Don't rush to conduct experiments. If we want to develop the chemical industry, we can't do without your expert advice. "

"But..."

Lavoisier entered the office of the Industrial Planning Bureau with some resistance, still thinking about the "Royal Alkali Process" in his mind - this was the new name Joseph gave to the "Solvay Process", after all, Mr. Solvay was not born yet.

But when he heard Joseph asking Mirabeau about the gas street lamp project, his attention was immediately drawn to it.

"Then the supporting coal tar processing laboratory must speed up the progress." Joseph said, "Mr. Murdoch has obtained the coal distillation patent last month, and we will strive to start the construction of Paris gas street lamps before the end of the year. "

Mirabe said with some embarrassment: "Your Highness, in fact, I have purchased all the experimental instruments according to the standards of the laboratory of the University of Paris, but the kind of 'benzene' you mentioned has never been heard of by chemists..."

Joseph hurriedly looked at Lavoisier on the side, but saw that the latter was also at a loss.

He suddenly felt helpless. It seemed that organic chemistry in this era was still a desert. Even the most basic organic matter, benzene, had not been discovered.

He had to patiently explain to Lavoisier that coal tar contained a large amount of benzene, as well as other organic compounds such as aniline and phenol, and they could be extracted.

Lavoisier's eyes lit up immediately: "You mean, there is a new substance in coal tar that we don't know yet?"

"Yes, it's a bit complicated to say." Joseph didn't know where to start introducing organic chemistry for a while. After all, it was a very large subject.

Finally, he had to cut the Gordian knot and said: "You distill coal tar, and in different temperature ranges, the distilled substances obtained will contain benzene. Oh, in this process, you will also discover some other new substances. "

Lavoisier's breathing became rapid. As a chemist, discovering a new substance is enough to make him famous in the academic world, but the prince told him lightly that simple operations can produce many new substances!

Either His Highness is talking nonsense, or it must be a revelation from God!

He subconsciously made a cross on his chest and said anxiously: "Your Highness, please let me handle the coal tar experiment!"

Joseph said with some embarrassment: "I really hope you can help, but you still have to help me design the production process of soda ash."

"This..." Lavoisier was not willing to give up, and hurriedly said, "Let my wife help. Please believe that she has a very good experimental level. Oh, I have many excellent students, and I will definitely not delay the Royal Alkali Process from being put into production!"

Joseph smiled immediately. The Lavoisiers plus his students meant that nearly half of France's chemical elites had joined his project.

He nodded to Lavoisier and said, "Since you are so interested, I will entrust you to take over the coal tar laboratory. You can apply directly to Count Mirabeau for the funds you need."

Coal tar can be used to extract a large number of valuable compounds such as aniline and phenol, which are used to produce disinfectants, dyes, fragrances, and medicines.

Especially the first two. Phenol, as the earliest medical disinfectant, has saved the lives of countless patients-this thing is much cheaper than alcohol. After all, it is a product of coal tar waste utilization and can be used on a large scale to disinfect the entire building or the entire camp.

And aniline as a raw material for dye production, its economic value is simply amazing. You know, the purple dye extracted from plants is used in the fashion field, and the price is even more expensive than the clothes themselves!

Even for the nobles of the Palace of Versailles, who can wear a full purple dress is a face-saving thing. It was not until the introduction of aniline purple made from aniline that purple clothing finally entered the homes of ordinary people.

If this dye is put into production, it will also become a powerful weapon for the French textile industry to compete with the British!

Joseph stopped fantasizing. After all, the organic chemical industry is still a bit far away - even Lavoisier didn't know what benzene was, and it was unknown how long it would take to create an industry - the current priority is to implement the production of soda ash as soon as possible, use soda ash to establish a chemical industry chain, and get dividends from it.