Synthetic resins and their raw materials / A survey of the types and uses of synthetic resins, the organization of the industry, and the trade in resins and raw materials, with particular references to factors essential to tariff consideration. Under the general provisions of section 332, title III, part II, Tariff act of 1930.

by United States Tariff Commission

Refined grades, melting above 79° C., are marketed as white, crystalline lumps or flakes. Their principal uses are in the manufacture of intermediates, dyes, medicinals, solvents, and textile assistants; as moth repellants; as a lubricant when mixed with rapeseed oil; to remove the “bloom” from lubricating oils; as a preservative for rubber goods and animal skins; and in explosives (trinitro naphthalene). In 1936 more than 75 coal-tar intermediates made from naphthalene were commercially produced in the United States. Of the 75 million pounds of these intermediates produced in that year, 31 million pounds were phthalic anhydride, an important component of synthetic resins of the alkyd type.

United States production.

Crude naphthalene is produced in the United States by byproduct coke-oven operators, gas works that produce their own coal tar, and also by firms that purchase coal tar and distill it. Statistics of production by groups are shown in table [33].

Table 33.—Crude naphthalene: United States production, 1918-37

Year	By producers of tar			By purchasers of tar			Total production
	Quantity	Value	Unit value	Quantity	Value	Unit value	Quantity	Value	Unit value
	1,000 pounds		Per pound	1,000 pounds		Per pound	1,000 pounds		Per pound
1918				40,138	$1,281,440	$0.032	40,138	$1,281,440	$0.032
1919				12,612	327,201	.030	12,612	327,201	.026
1923	11,872	$201,824	$0,017	41,453	652,148	.016	53,325	853,972	.016
1925	9,239	92,389	.010	34,135	519,773	.015	43,374	612,162	.014
1926	7,747	100,709	.013	45,166	494,986	.011	52,913	595,695	.011
1927	8,303	91,331	.011	45,298	470,806	.010	53,601	562,137	.010
1928	112,182	146,186	.012	35,180	395,059	.011	47,362	541,245	.011
1929	119,761	316,182	.016	19,502	366,491	.020	39,263	682,673	.017
1930	112,640	151,681	.012	18,617	304,574	.020	31,257	456,255	.015
1931	17,623	76,229	.010	13,311	199,665	.015	20,934	275,894	.013
1932	14,632	41,690	.09	8,961	125,453	.014	13,593	167,143	.012
1933	16,618	66,181	.010	24,003	360,040	.015	30,621	426,221	.014
1934	110,743	139,665	.013	27,179	489,222	.018	37,922	628,887	.016
1935	112,937	168,185	.013	34,716	624,890	.018	47,653	793,075	.017
1936	137,552	600,836	.016	51,984	1,195,632	.023	89,536	1,796,468	.020
1937	160,797	1,215,942	.020	55,182	1,545,100	.028	115,979	2,667,522	.023

¹ Crude and refined. Refined naphthalene included here is probably small so that the figures here and those for total production are substantially accurate.

Source: Bureau of Mines and U.S. Tariff Commission.

Refined naphthalene is obtained from domestic crude, imported crude, and recently from petroleum cracking and hydrogenation. Table [34] shows the annual production and sales of refined naphthalene since 1916. The difference between the figures for the quantity produced and that sold represents the amount used by refiners in the manufacture of other products.

Table 34.—Refined naphthalene: United States production and sales, 1917-37