Tectyl

When the submarine Squalus was finally raised and beached, the U. S. Navy's salvage job was not finished. The salvagers wanted to save the hull and especially the Diesel "engines from seawater corrosion. To do so they tried a new liquid chemical called Tectyl. Last week at the National Chemical Exposition in Chicago, Tectyl was shown to the public for the first time.

Invented and manufactured by J. M. Cohen of Potomac Chemical Co., Tectyl does two things: 1) separates salt water from steel, 2) forms an oily, protective coating on the metal. It is electromagnetically attracted to steel and other electrically conducting metals, forms what are called polar films. There are four grades corresponding to film thicknesses ranging from .0002 to .0008 inch. The lightest Tectyl (thinnest film) can be used for cleaning machines of oil and dust, leaves a temporary lubricating and protective layer. The heaviest grade provides longtime protection for metals exposed to weathering.

Tectyl 511, which makes a film .0003 inch thick, is the kind that elbows aside sea water, was used to flush the Squalus. It worked so well that the Navy uses it now for a great variety of corrosion-fighting jobs.

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