Metallic Thorium¹

Studies on Direct Electrochemical De-Oxidation of Solid ThO2 in Calcium Chloride Based Melts

“…14 Numerous chemical and electrochemical methods have been reported in literature for the preparation of thorium metal. 9,[15][16][17][18][19] In chemical methods, thorium metal was prepared from both thorium halides and oxide using strong reductant metals such as Na, Mg or Ca. 9,[15][16][17] ThF 4 prepared from ThO 2 , was chemically reduced by Ca in presence of ZnCl 2 .…”

“…9,[15][16][17][18][19] In chemical methods, thorium metal was prepared from both thorium halides and oxide using strong reductant metals such as Na, Mg or Ca. 9,[15][16][17] ThF 4 prepared from ThO 2 , was chemically reduced by Ca in presence of ZnCl 2 . The pure thorium metal was obtained from Th-Zn alloy by vacuum distillation.…”

Preparation of Metal Powders by Electrolysis of Fused Salts

“…The purified powder obtained above has been utilized for making x-ray targets, sheet, and wire by pressing, sintering, and degasifying the powder in vacuo by the methods described in earlier publications (2). Electrolytic thorium is extremely soft, well-annealed samples having a hardness as low as D-10 on the Rockwell scale.…”

Studies on Preparation of Thorium-Based Intermetallics in CaCl2 Melt by Electrochemical De-Oxidation Process

“…2,7 Conventionally, metals are prepared by chemically reducing the metal oxides with a suitable reducing element based on the Ellingham diagram, e.g., thorium metal is prepared chemically using Ca, Na, Mg, etc, as reductants both from thorium oxides and halides. 8,[11][12][13] In recent times, direct electrochemical reduction of solid metal oxides in a suitable molten salt medium has emerged as an interesting method for the preparation of metals and alloys. 14,15 In this high-temperature molten salt electrolysis process, also known as the direct oxide electrochemical reduction (DOER) process, the solid metal oxide cathode is directly converted to respective metal or alloys by electrons or in situ electro-generated reductant metal, e.g., Ca, Li, etc, under the application of a constant cell potential or current between the cathode and the platinum or graphite anode.…”