Method for making hydrogen saturated metal compounds

A method for making metastable compounds of Me metal, argon and hydrogen, comprising the steps of:

• supplying a flow of hydrogen-argon gas mixture through a reactor chamber having a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet;
• generating a high frequency plasma discharge in said flow of hydrogen-argon gas mixture by means of a plasmatron of either the inductive type or the capacitive type, said plasma discharge including a higher temperature plasma generating active region, said plasma discharge producing a plasma flow downstream of said active region;
• establishing a radially inner zone of substantially zero axial flow of said mixture in relation to axial plasma flow immediately downstream of said active region;
• introducing finely powdered Me metal into or near said zone and within said active region at a rate such that said Me metal evaporates in said plasma discharge;
• precipitating a solid product resulting from interaction of said Me metal with said plasma;
• and
• rapidly cooling said solid product at a rate of at least 10.sup.5 degrees Centigrade/second.

A method for making metastable compounds of an Me metal, argon and hydrogen, comprising the steps of:

• supplying a flow of hydrogen-argon gas mixture through a reactor chamber having a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet;
• generating a high frequency plasma discharge in said flow of hydrogen-argon gas mixture by means of a high frequency plasmatron of either the inductive type or the capacitive type, said plasma discharge including a higher temperature plasma generating active region, there being a lower temperature plasma flow downstream of said plasma discharge;
• swirling said flow upstream of said plasma discharge for establishing a radially inner zone of substantially zero axial flow of said mixture in relation to radially outer axial flow of said mixture within said active region of said plasma discharge;
• introducing finely powdered Me metal into or near said zone and within said active region at a rate such that said Me metal evaporates in said plasma discharge;
• precipitating a solid product resulting from interaction of said Me metal with said plasma;
• rapidly cooling said solid product at a rate of at least 10.sup.5 degrees Centigrade/second by contact with a surface cooled by liquified air or nitrogen gas;
• and
• passivating said solid product by exposure to hydrogen or a hydrogen containing compound.