PRODUCTION OF IRON POWDER AND FIRE-EXTINGUISHER FOAM AT BITTERFELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R014300550011-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 24, 2006
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: October 21, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14300550011-5
FEB 1952 51-41A
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/COL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
S CURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO.
CD NO.
25X1
COUNTRY East Germany DATE DISTR. 21 October 1952
SUBJECT Production of Iron Powder and Fire -Extinguisher Foam NO. OF PAGES 2
``'^ I at Bitterfeld
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEM ENT
REPORT NO.
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATIONAFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793,
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE,, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVS-.
LAT ION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW.. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHI81TE0.]
25X1
1. Iron Powder. The iron powder process at Elektrochemiaches Kombinat $d.tterfeld,
SAG, is not running quite smoothly. 'Me powder now being produced is said to
contain one per cent cobalt.lThis happened accidentally., The first batches
produced were found to have highly desirable electrical properties, but subsequent
-batches showed. a .fa.llingc off . An analysis, of the earlier production showed
a contamination of aboutc One per. -aantL eolbalty _.whibhChad_ appa.re tly oneu red .
accidentally owing to the reduction furnace being contaminated from previous
runs with cobalt compounds. Subsequent batches had lacked this contamination
as.it was gradually used up. At present, therefore, a deliberate addition
of cobalt is made.
?. Until very recently, the iron powder was produced by the dry reduction of ferrous
oxalate with hydrogen. It is now produced by the reduction of ferrous formate,
(although this is stated to 'be a less satisfactory process) since Russian
demands for oxalic acid have reached such a scale thatthey preclude its use
for this purpose or, indeed, any internal plant use.2
to a.specific Russian demand for a material which would be used for fire-
extingu.ish.n.g purposes and would conform to the following.specif ications. it should
be capable of storage for five years, form a satisfactory foam with sea and
fresh water at temperatures down to -25QC, be non-corrosive and,also,should be
as effective against burning alcohol as against gasoline.
3. Fire-extinguisher Foam. Foam material was developed at Biiterfeld in response
ZI-. After considerable effort and many experiments, a foam material has finally been
developed. which has at.least.been accepted, although it.is not known whether it
fulfils all of these specifications. Two recipes have been developed and are
given below, the second is said. to be better than the first. Both apparently depend
for their effectiveness on the alginate content. This material is not obtainable
in East Germany and '_is at prese_,t being obtained_irregularly,` 25X1
SECRET./CONTROL - U.S OFFICIALS ONLY
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14300550011-5
 Approved For Release 20Q6/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14300550011F
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Recipe 10 "Neka. AX". . . . . . . . . . . . .36.x+ per cent3
Powdered glue (Perileim . . . . . . . . . .20.x+
gemahlen)
" Ze llin" . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .15.9
Recipe 2: "Ne6kal BX".. . ... ...2!+.0 per cent3
,Powdered glue . . . . . . . . . . . ...16.0 "
Sodium benzoate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.0 "
Equimolar mix. of ,
NaHC 03 and A12(SO)3 . . . . . . . 6.0
?Ethoxqse". . . . . . . . . . . . .26.0
"Zellirr". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.0
Sodium alginate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.o
1. I.Conment o the production of this 25X1
iron powder substitute for carbonyl iron powder is beinng consumed entirely
in East GermaAy. Apparently. noo carbdpydn:irorsff'.powd.er iPrbeing9pr6-duced. -
In January, 1952, the monthly requirement of the ldst ute powder, was
reportedly 10 tons. The iron powder is used for magnet cores.
2. Iomment. There are indicatcions. that the. iro ,powderLL ptbduced
at Bitterfeld is not a complete substitute f-vr carbonyl iron powder or is
not,in adequate supply. Minutes of the 25 May 1952 meeting of the management
of VVB der Radio-und Ferxmeldetechnik, Leipzig, deal with the "problem" of
carbonyl iron powder and suggest that the Z.entral Laboratorium fuer
Fernmeldewei en is best equipped -to . "handle the matter".
(Comment- "Idekal BX" is a sytthetic detergent emulsifier produced at
:Bunawerk Schkopau where it is known as "Emulgator E 1000". "Ethoxose"
and "Zellin" do not appear in the list of products manufacured at Bitterfeld
.and their composition isnot.known.
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14300550011-5