METALLOTHERMIC REDUCTION OF YTTRIUM HALIDES
An investigation was made of methods to prepare highpurity yttrium metal. Various methods were used to prepare pure intermediate compounds, primarily cblorides, bromides, and iodides, which were subsequently reduced to metal. The process found most suitable for the preparation of pure anhydrous yttrium chloride involved thermal dehydration of a mixture of hydrated yttrium chloride and ammonium chloride while under vacuum. Yttrium bromide and iodide were prepared most effectively by the direct halogenation of yttrium carbide. Yttrium carbide was obtained by reacting and melting yttrium oxide-- carbon mixtures in a carbon-arc furnace. Yttrium halides were purified by vacuum distillation and reduced by alkali or alkaline-earth metals. Lithium and sodium proved to be the best reductants from the standpoint of yield ()96%) and purity ()99.8%) of the yttrium. The product of the reduction step was sponge metal, which was consolidated readily by conventional cold-mold, arc-melting procedure. The purest yttrium obtained in laboratory scale work was prepared by sodium reduction of yttrium cbloride and contained only 125 ppm oxygen; other imparities did not exceed 1,660 ppm. In larger scale tests ytirium containing ouly 800 to 1,000 ppm total impurities was obtained by lithium reduction of yttrium chloride. The tensile properties of high-purity yttrium were determined. Mechanical tests showed that yttrium can be forged, extuded, rolled, spot welded, and deep drawn. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Bureau of Mines. Albany Metallurgy Research Center, Ore.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-029247
- OSTI ID:
- 4694115
- Report Number(s):
- BM-RI-6259
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF HIGH PURITY YTTRIUM METAL
QUARTERLY METALLURGICAL PROGRESS REPORT NO. 7 FOR THE PERIOD OF APRIL 1, 1960 TO JUNE 30, 1960
Related Subjects
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
COLD WORKING
DISTILLATION
ELECTRIC ARCS
EXTRUSION
FORGING
FURNACES
HALIDES
HALOGENATION
HALOGENS
HYDROGENATION
IMPURITIES
LITHIUM
MATERIALS TESTING
MELTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
OXYGEN
POROSITY
PREPARATION
QUANTITY RATIO
REDUCTION
REFINING
ROLLING
SODIUM
TENSILE PROPERTIES
VACUUM
WELDING
WIRES
YTTRIUM
YTTRIUM BROMIDES
YTTRIUM CARBIDES
YTTRIUM CHLORIDES
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM IODIDES
YTTRIUM OXIDES