Electrochemical deoxidation of RE–O (RE=Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) solid solutions

Hirota, K and Saito, F and Jacob, KT and Waseda, Y and Okabe, TH (1999) Electrochemical deoxidation of RE–O (RE=Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) solid solutions. In: Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 282 (1-2). pp. 101-108.

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Abstract

The removal of oxygen from rare-earth metals (RE, RE=Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) by an electrochemical deoxidation method was investigated. A titanium basket containing the rare-earth metal sample, submerged in molten CaCl2 electrolyte, formed the cathode of an electrolysis cell. A high-purity graphite anode was used. The calcium metal produced at the cathode effectively deoxidized the rare-earth metal. Carbon monoxide and dioxide were generated at the graphite anode. Rare-earth metals containing more than 2000 mass ppm oxygen were deoxidized to 10–50 mass ppm level by electrolysis at 1189 K for 36 ks (10 h). Cyclic voltammetry was used to characterize the molten salt at different stages of the process. The effectiveness of the process is discussed with the aid of a chemical potential diagram for RE–O solid solutions. The new electrochemical technique is compared with the conventional deoxidation methods reported in the literature. The possibility of nitrogen removal from the rare-earth metals by the electrochemical method is outlined.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	Rare-earth metal;Electrochemical deoxidation;Refining; purification;Gadolinium;Terbium;Dysprosium;Erbium
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
Date Deposited:	01 Mar 2012 06:08
Last Modified:	01 Mar 2012 06:08
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/42696

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