creator:

Sweeney, O. R. (Orland Russel) (1884-1958)

title:

Papers

dates:

1916-2002, undated

extent:

4.27 linear feet (6 document boxes, 1 oversized box, and 1 map case folder)

collection number:

RS 11/4/14

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Orland Russel Sweeney Papers, RS 11/4/14, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical Information

1925-2002, undated

0.10 linear feet (3 folders)

The series includes biographies, correspondence, and news clippings documenting Dr. Sweeney's career. Information regarding his portrait are also included.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

General Information and News Articles

1925-2002, undated

1

2

Honors and Portrait Unveiling

1936-1997

1

3

Memorials

1958-1975

Correspondence

1923-1946, undated

0.32 linear feet (13 folders)

The series contains personal, administrative, and committee correspondence. Included are letters resulting from administering the Department of Chemical Engineering at Iowa State College (University). Correspondence with committees and organizations Dr. Sweeney was affiliated with including the Greater Iowa Commission, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the War Production Board is also included.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

4-5

Administrative

1929-1946

1

6

American Institute of Chemical Engineers: Correspondence

1933, 1941

1

7

Appraisal Committee of Federal Work Relief Program Funding in Iowa: Correspondence

1938

1

8-9

General

1923-1945, undated

1

10

Greater Iowa Commission, Investigation of General Insulating and Manufacturing Company, Dubuque: Correspondence

1937-1938

1

11

Greater Iowa Commission: Correspondence and Reports

1937-1939

1

12

Iowa State Planning Board: Correspondence

1934-1938, undated

1

13

Midwest Research Institute: Correspondence

1944-1945

1

14

Ohio State University Colleagues

1930-1943

1

15

Personal

1930-1945

1

16

War Production Board: Correspondence

1942, 1944

Papers, Speeches, and Statements

1916-1950, undated

0.21 linear feet (0.5 document box)

The series contains reprints of a number of Dr. Sweeney's research papers and technical articles. The papers document Dr. Sweeney's research in the commercial utilization of cornstalks, corncobs and other agricultural byproducts. The series also lists papers regarding Dr. Sweeney's research in furfural production, water softening, the production of antiseptic solutions, and soybean processing. A copy of his dissertation and several speeches are also included. Finally, the series contains two statements presented during Congressional subcommittee hearings regarding farm crop utilization and soybean processing.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

17

Dissertation: "I. A Separation of Arsenic, Antimony and Vanadium from Tungsten. II. On the Complex Bismuthico Tungstates"

1916

1

18

Listing of Publications

undated

1

19

Paper: "The Chemical Examination of Natural Brines"

1917

1

20

Paper: "The Chemurgic Future"

1938

1

21

Paper: "Commercial Process for Tanning"

1921

1

22

Paper: "Cornstalks as an Industrial Raw Material"

1930

1

23

Paper: "The Determination of Sulfur Dioxide"

1917

1

24

Paper: "The Determination of the Total Fixed Nitrogen Content of Power Plant Flue Gases"

1941

1

25

Paper: "The Effect of Branched Alkyl Groups on the Anti-Knock Properties of the Butyl Triethyl Lead Compounds"

1930

1

26

Paper: "An Electrolytic Apparatus for the Production of Antiseptic Sodium Hypochlorite Solution"

1933

1

27

Paper: "Estimation of the Composition of Three-Component Liquid Mixtures"

1940

1

28

Paper: "Experimental Studies on the Destructive Distillation of Corncobs"

1931

1

29

Paper: "Extraction of Soybean Oil by Trichloroethylene"

1949

1

30

Paper: "Furfural Utilization Studies"

1950

1

31

Paper: "The Future of Chemistry in Agriculture"

1931

1

32

Paper: "How Can the Industry Get and Hold Competent Technicians? Criticism and Books"

1937

2

1

Paper: "An Improved Hydrogen Chloride Generator"

1917

2

2

Paper: "A Method of Maintaining the Proper Copper Concentration in the Treatment of Water"

1941

2

3

Paper: "Moisture Relations in the Manufacture and Use of Cornstalk Insulating Board"

1948

2

4

Paper: "A New Solvent Extraction Process for Soybean Oil"

1949

2

5

Paper: "Paper from Cornstalks" (unpublished)

undated

2

6

Paper: "Paper Pulp from Cereal Straws by a Modified Sulfate Process"

1936

2

7

Paper: "Permanent Filter Mats in Gooch Crucibles"

1924

2

8

Paper: "Plastics from Agricultural By-Products"

1941

2

9

Paper: "Present Procedure for Production of Cholesterol from Wool Fat"

1942

2

10

Paper: "Processing the Soybean"

1929

2

11

Paper: "Processing the Soybean" (Revised)

1935

2

12

Paper: "The Production of Chloropicrin as Needed from Dry Mixtures of Picric Acid and Bleaching Powder"

1940

2

13

Paper: "The Production of Oxygen from Lime and Chlorine"

1930

2

14

Paper: "The Production of Paper from Cornstalks"

1930

2

15

Paper: "Production of Pressboard from Cornstalks"

1936

2

16

Paper: "Recent Progress in Chemical Engineering"

1937

2

17

Paper: "The Removal of Fluorides from Water by Ionic Exchange"

1940

2

18

Paper: "Separation of Cholesterol from Degras"

1945

2

19

Paper: "Studies on the Manufacture of Insulating Board"

1937

2

20

Paper: "What are Cornstalks Good for, Anyway?"

1928

2

21

Speech: "Greater Industrial Development of Iowa by More Intensive Utilization of Agricultural Waste"

1927

2

22

Speech: "Utilization of Agricultural Products"

1937

2

23

Speech: "Utilizing Waste Products"

1930

2

24

Statement before Congressional Subcommittee on Utilization of Farm Crops

1944

2

25

Statement to Congressional Subcommittee on Processing the Soybean

1943

Patents

1922-1944, undated

0.84 linear feet (2 document boxes)

The series contains materials related to a number of Dr. Sweeney's patents. The materials include applications, correspondence with patent attorneys and the U.S. Patent Office, and copies of the patents. This collection contains only a sampling of the more than 300 patents Dr. Sweeney obtained, but is a fair representation of the research and inventions he developed. The materials include patent information on various types of synthetic lumber Dr. Sweeney created using cornstalks and corncobs along with the machines developed to make many of these materials. Patent information on his research in the production of Carrel-Dakin solution and water softening methods are also included.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

2

26

Acoustic Board: Correspondence

1930-1931

2

27

Antiseptic Hypochlorite by Electrolysis: Application and Correspondence

1930-1932, undated

2

28

Board Forming Machine: Correspondence

1929-1931

2

29

Correspondence: Patents

1925-1944, undated

2

30

Fiber Board: Correspondence

1926, undated

2

31

Insulating Lumber: Correspondence

1929-1931, undated

2

32

Listing of Patents

undated

2

33-34

Mat Board Handling Machine, No. 2,084,980: Application and Correspondence

1934-1936, undated

2

35

Method of Making Hard Lumber Substitute, No. 1,772,502: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1928-1932

3

1

Method of Preventing the Growth of Algae, No. 1,915,874: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1930-1933

3

2

Method of Separating Products Obtained in the Oxidation of Hydrocarbons, No. 2,024,954: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1933-1935, undated

3

3

Moldable Phenolic Pentosan Material, Nos. 1,797,559 and 1,797,593: Application, Correspondence, and Copies of Patents

1924-1932, undated

3

4

Phenol Separating Process: Correspondence

1932-1938, undated

3

5

Pith Board: Application and Correspondence

1930-1933, undated

3

6

Process and Apparatus for Electrolytic Production of Carrel-Dakin Solution, No. 1,940,612: Application and Correspondence

1931-1934

3

7

Process and Apparatus for Electrolytic Production of Carrel-Dakin Solution: Canadian Patent Application and Correspondence

1932-1933

3

8

Process for Partial Oxidation of Gaseous Hydrocarbons, No. 1,963,070: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1932-1934, undated

3

9

Process for Producing Synthetic Lumber that is Not Attacked by Insects, No. 1,937,366: Application and Correspondence

1931-1933, undated

3

10

Process for Producing Synthetic Lumber that is Not Attacked by Insects, No. 1,938,227: Application and Correspondence

1931-1933, undated

3

11

Process for Producing Synthetic Lumber that is Not Attacked by Molds, No. 1,946,952: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1930-1934, undated

3

12

Process for Producing Synthetic Lumber that is Not Attacked by Molds, No. 1,946,953: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1931-1934, undated

3

13

Process of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Synthetic Lumber, No. 1,846,406: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1930-1932, undated

3

14

Process of Elaborating Corn Stalks into Pulp for Use in Paper Making and the Like, No. 1,639,152: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1925-1927

3

15

Process of Regenerating Base-Exchange Substances, No. 1,903,949: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1925-1932, undated

4

1

Process of Regenerating Base-Exchange Substances, No. 1,903,949: Correspondence

1930-1933, undated

4

2

Process Relating to the Production of a Material from Vegetable Matter of High Pentosan Containing Pento-Cellulose Materials, No. 1,941,817 (Maizolith Patent): Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1931-1935, undated

4

3

Process Relating to the Production of Synthetic Lumber from Cornstalks, No. 1,803,737: Application, Correspondence, and Copy of Patent

1929-1931, undated

4

4

Processes of Making Chloropicrin, No. 1,413,198: Patent Certificate (Photocopy)

1922

4

5

Selenium Cell: Description

undated

4

6

Solvent Recovery Apparatus: Correspondence

1941-1942

4

7

Water Softening, Carrier Wave Method: Correspondence

1932

4

8

Water Softening, Semi-Automatic Method: Application and Correspondence

1931-1932, undated

4

9

Window, Vacuum Pane for Air Conditioning: Correspondence

1936

Research and Consulting Projects

1923-1950, undated

2.80 linear feet (2.5 document boxes, 1 oversized box, and 1 map case folder)

The series includes correspondence and reports related to Dr. Sweeney's research and consulting projects. The correspondence includes information on his research into plastics, chemical warfare, corn alcohol, cornstalks, milkweed, and soybeans. The series also includes materials related to the Maizewood Products Corporation which acquired a number of Dr. Sweeney's patents related to making synthetic lumber and paper out of cornstalks. Original copies of several Iowa and Midwestern papers printed on newsprint made from cornstalk pulp are located in Box 7.

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

4

10

Agricultural By-Products: Correspondence and Reports

1926-1940, undated

4

11-12

Carrel-Dakin Solution, Electrolytic Cell: Correspondence

1930-1942

4

13

Chemical Warfare: Correspondence

1936-1940, undated

4

14

Chicle Substitute: Correspondence

1939, 1942

4

15

Coal: Correspondence

1929-1944

4

16

Consulting: Contracts with General Water Treatment Corporation

1929

4

17

Corn Alcohol: Correspondence

1926-1942, undated

4

18

Corn Alcohol: Joint Public Hearing on the Blending of Alcohol Made from Corn, Rye, Barley, and Gasoline, for Motor Fuel (Transcript)

1933

4

19

Corn Sugar: Correspondence

1934-1940

4

20

Corncob: Correspondence

1923-1946

5

1-2

Cornstalk Plant in England: Correspondence

1929-1940, undated

5

3

Cornstalks: Correspondence and News Clippings

1926-1940

5

4

Furfural: Correspondence

1933-1950

Map Case

Good Hope, Louisiana, Butane Oxidation Plant: Blueprints of Plant Layout

1933

5

5-6

Good Hope, Louisiana, Butane Oxidation Plant: Correspondence and Reports

1931-1935, undated

5

7

Hemp: Reports and Correspondence, Includes "Report of the Hemp Conference Held at Iowa State College"

1944

5

8-10

Maizewood Products Corporation, Dubuque, Iowa, Manufacturing Plant: Correspondence

1927-1934

6

1

Maizewood Products Corporation, Dubuque, Iowa, Manufacturing Plant: Correspondence

1935-1945

6

2

Maizewood Products Corporation, Dubuque, Iowa, Manufacturing Plant: Contracts

1928, 1936

6

3

Maizewood Products Corporation: Litigation

1929-1933

6

4

Maizewood Products Corporation: News Clippings

1928-1932, undated

6

5

Maizewood Products Corporation: Publications

1930, undated

6

6

Maizewood Products Corporation: Reports

1930-1931, undated

6

7

Milkweed: Correspondence

1945-1946

7

Newspapers Printed on Newsprint Made from Cornstalk Pulp

1929

6

8

Peanut: Correspondence

1945

6

9

Plastics: Correspondence

1934-1946, undated

6

10-11

Soybean: Correspondence and Reports

1929-1950, undated

6

12

Speaking Tours: Correspondence and News Clippings

1939-1946, undated

6

13

Synthetic Rubber: Correspondence

1933, 1939