SOLID-STATE ELECTROTRANSPORT PURIFICATION OF DYSPROSIUM

Solid state electrotransport has been used to refine polycrystalline d ysprosium metal to a purity of 99.96 at.%, which is believed to be the highest purity ever reported for this metal. The relatively high vapo ur pressure of dysprosium at solid state electrotransport processing t emperatures necessitated the use of an inert gas environment, as well as lower than ideal processing temperatures or reduced processing time s, to restrict volatilization losses. The comparative advantages of hi gh temperature, short-time versus low temperature, long-time electrotr ansport programmes were investigated.