Process relating to ultra-pure metal halide particles

Claim 2

The process of claim 1 which further comprises passing an inert gas through the molten halide to scrub dissolved gases therefrom prior to step (c).

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the metal halide is selected from the group consisting of the iodides, bromides and chlorides of the metals of Groups 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 1b, 2b, 3b, and the Lanthanide series of the Periodic Table, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

The process of claim 4, wherein the metal halide is a solid metal iodide selected from the group consisting of the iodides of the alkali metals, the Lanthanides, mercury, thallium, indium, scandium and mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein volatile impurities are evaporated from the metal halide prior to melting of the metal halide.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the molten halide is filtered to remove insoluble impurities therefrom prior to step (c).

Claim 7

The process of claim 7 which further comprises evacuating the atmosphere surrounding the metal halide to subatmospheric pressure prior to the melting thereof.

Claim 8

The process of claim 8 wherein the dischaRge nozzle is vibrated at a resonant frequency, and the molten halide is continuously flowed through the conduit into the inert, quenching atmosphere to form particles having an average diameter of from 3 to 5 times the diameter of the conduit.

Claim 9

The process of claim 9 wherein the inert, quenching atmosphere comprises helium and is at a temperature between 0* and 50* C.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein hydrogen and a halogen are reacted in the presence of a platinum catalyst and the resultant gaseous product is passed through the metal halide in step (b).

Claim 11

A process for producing purified metal halide of controlled particle size from solid metal halide having oxygen-containing impurities therein, which process comprises the steps of: a. evaporating volatile impurities from the solid metal halide: b. passing through the halide at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halide, an admixture of hydrogen halide and hydrogen, and an admixture of hydrogen and halogen to convert at least a portion of the oxygen-containing impurities other than water present in the metal halide to water and volatile impurities and to remove at least a portion of the water and volatile impurities by scrubbing, the halogen, the halogen radical of the hydrogen halide and the halogen radical of the metal halide being of the same halogen species; c. during passage of the said member through the metal halide, melting the metal halide; d. evacuating dissolved gases from the molten metal halide; e. passing an inert gas through the molten halide to scrub dissolved gases therefrom. f. filtering the molten metal halide to remove insoluble impurities therefrom; and g. passing the filtered molten metal halide through a vibrating discharge nozzle into an inert, quenching atmosphere to form particles of purified metal halide of controlled size.

Claim 12

The process of claim 12 wherein steps (d) and (e) are repeated until substantially all of the dissolved gases in the molten metal halide are removed.

Claim 13

The process of claim 13 wherein said metal halide is a mixture of sodium iodide and scandium iodide.

Claim 14

A process for producing a purified mixture of sodium iodide and scandium iodide in a controlled particle size, which process comprises: a. providing a mixture of sodium iodide and scandium iodide having oxygen-containing impurities; b. melting the iodide mixture; c. passing through the molten iodide mixture at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen iodide, and admixture of hydrogen iodide and hydrogen, and an admixture of hydrogen and iodine to convert at least a portion of the oxygen-containing impurities other than water present in the metal iodide to water and volatile impurities, and to remove at least a portion of water and volatile impurities by scrubbing; d. and passing the molten iodide mixture through a vibrating discharge conduit into an inert, quenching atmosphere to form particles of a purified mixture of sodium and scandium iodide of controlled size.

Claim 15

The process of claim 15 wherein the iodide is a mixture of from about 45 to about 99.99 mole percent sodium iodide and 55 to about 0.01 mole percent scandium iodide.