Purification of alkali metal chlorides and bromides
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorsRicardo C. Pastor, Arthur J. Timper
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Abstract
We have discovered that alkali halides may be purified, particularly of trace anionic and cationic impurities, by scrubbing a melt of the alkali halide with gaseous nascent halogen. The halide radical of the gaseous nascent halogen preferably corresponds to the halide radical of the alkali halide. The purified material may then be used to form single crystals from which laser windows may be produced.
Claims5
A method for the purification of alkali metal chlorides and bromides containing trace cationic and anionic impurities comprising the steps of exposing the reaction apparatus to a mascent sweep halogen gas for 10 hours to remove contaminants, forming a moving molten zone in said alkali metal halide placed in said apparatus while scrubbing said metal halide with a continuous stream of a gaseous nascent halogen corresponding to the halide of the alkali metal being scrubbed for 5 hours and allowing said halide to cool under a continuous stream of gaseous nascent halogen, thereby obtaining said alkali metal halides having a purity useful in laser technologies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.