Electrotransport of solutes in rare earth metals

Abstract

There has been considerable activity in recent years in the study of the electrotransport behavior of solute atoms in the rare earth metals. This effort appears to derive from two main objectives: 1. (1) a better understanding of the transport behavior of solutes in metals 2. (2) the preparation of high purity rare earth metals. The common interstitial impurities and many metallic impurities exhibit high electrotransport mobilities in the metals of the group. Thus, electrotransport promises to be an effective technique for ultrapurifying the rare earths, not only with respect to oxygen, carbon and nitrogen, but also with respect to iron, nickel, copper and other metallic impurities. This paper summarizes past and current work on the electrotransport of solutes in the rare earth metals.