Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1892 — A Wonderful Invention. [ARTICLE]

A Wonderful Invention.

An inventor in Vienna has produced a new material that combines some of the properties of glass and celluloid. It is made by dissolving four to eight parts of collodion wool (gun cotton) in about 100 parts by weight of ether or alcohol, adding 2 to 4 .per cent, of castor oil and 4 to 10 per cent, of rosin or Canadian balsam. The mixture Is then dried on a glass plate at a temperature of 120 degrees, Fahr. The compound soon solidifies into a transparent sheet, having substantially the properties of glass. It resists the action of salts, alkalis and dilute acids, and is flexible, says the Philadelphia Record. The addition of magnesium chloride reduces its inflammability and zinc white gives it the appearance of ivory. By increasing the relative proportions of castor oil and rosin the toughness and pliability of leather is imparted to the material, and it may even be made into driving belts.