Abstract
In 1892, Mr. A. J. Wurtz published his discovery of non-arcing metals. It is now intended to ascertain whether non-arcing metals really exist, and if so what the true nature of this quality is.
Messrs. M. Nakajima and K. Nakajima made the studies, in the Tohoku Imperial University, of D. C. characteristics and A. C. Volt-Ampere characteristics of various metal ares placed in air or in coal gas atmosphere. Cu and Zn were taken as the representative ones of arcing and non-arcing metals. They ascertained that, for small currents there are certain differences in qualities between Cu-arcs and Zn-arcs. For larger currents, however, the difference as to their non-arcing property was rather hard to recognize. The non-arcing metals such as were discovered by Mr. Wurtz are very likely not the metals for which the arc is difficult to start, on the contrary, they are the metals which can maintain the arc with ease and stability.
The writers made the oscillographic study of instantaneous phenomena, and found out the existence of two distinctly different phases of discharge between copper electrodes.
All of the above mentioned studies are still inadequate to give clear explanation of the non-arcing quality of metals. It is stated that the problem now needs to be attacked from some other directions, and several factors are enumerated which seem to have connections with this special quality of certain metals.
