RARE EARTH BORIDES SYNTHESIS BY REDUCTION DISTILLATION

Abstract Abstract Abstract Abstract A reduction-distillation process was used in the synthesis of borides of lanthanum, neodymium and yttrium. The process involves heating rare earth halides (chlorides or fluorides) with boron and/or aluminium in the range of 1000-1200°C under dynamic argon flow. Borides are formed on reduction of halides and the reduction products are separated in-situ by distillation. The thermodynamic basis of the process and experimental results on practical application to the synthesis of borides of selected rare earths are presented in this paper.