Abstract
A new process for the separation of tantalum from niobium (Cb) has been developed. This process consists of repeatedly reacting the mixed pentachloride vapors of niobium and tantalum with an alkali-metal chloride powder to form complex compounds of the type, AMCI6, where A is an alkali metal, and M is Nb of Ta. Tantalum tends to concentrate in the condensed AMCl6 phase leaving a vapor enriched in niobium. The results of tests conducted with NaCl, KC1, RbCl, and CsCl are presented along with a discussion of the thermodynamics of the process. The best separation was achieved with KC1, where the molar ratio of pentachloride to KC1 was 2:1, the pentachlorides were heated to 229°°C, and the KC1 was heated to 342°°C. Under these conditions the concentration of tantalum was reduced by a factor of almost three in one separation step.
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Sadoway, D.R., Flengas, S.N. A New process for the separation of tantalum from niobium. Metall Trans B 11, 57–62 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02657171
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02657171