Chapter 24 - Production of Rare Metal Powders

Abstract

This chapter represents the characteristics of rare metal powders including vanadium, zirconium, indium, thallium, ruthenium, rare earth (RE) group (scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, and lanthanides: 14 elements from cerium to lutetium), beryllium, and radioactive metals (thorium and uranium), and the fundamentals of synthesizing them. Chemical processes, atomization, mechanical comminution, metallothermic methods, and electrolysis technologies of rare metal powder production are discussed. Separation of RE elements by extraction, separation by ion-exchange chromatography, and schemes of complete separation and molecular recognition technology are described. Magnesium-thermal reduction of beryllium fluoride, electrolysis from chloride electrolyte, production of leafed beryllium by electrorefining from melts, and beryllium oxide powder production are considered. RE applications, including refractory and elevated temperature alloys, manufacture of electrodes, permanent magnets, and cemented tungsten (Simchi A. Direct laser sintering of metal powders: mechanism, kinetics and microstructural features. Mater Sci Eng 2006;A428:148–158) arbides are described. Nuclear and X-ray applications of beryllium, optical beryllium grades, apparatus applications, AlBeMet, and aluminum-beryllium-lithium alloys and E-material metal-matrix composite are considered. Uranium powder production by reduction of uranium oxides by calcium or calcium hydride, reduction of uranium tetrafluoride or uranium tetrachloride by calcium or magnesium, and electrolysis of halogen salts in molten media are discussed. Safety aspects of health and environment protection measures are considered.