Metallothermic reduction of actinide halides

Metallothermic reduction of an actinide halide was the first method applied to the preparation of an actinide metal. Initially, actinide chlorides were reduced by alkali metals, but then actinide fluorides, which are much less hygroscopic than the chlorides, were more... 

Actinide (An) metals are prepared by reduction or thermal dissociation of their com-pounds The metallothermic reduction of halides is still in use, especially for microscale preparations. In this procedure, anhydrous actinide haUdes, in general fluorides, are exposed to the vapour of alkaline or alkaUne earth metals, e.g. 

Metallothermic reduction of compounds. Metallothermic reduction of halides (fluorides), a method used for lanthanide metal preparation, was among the first methods to be successfully applied to actinides ... 

All of the actinide elements are metals with physical and chemical properties changing along the series from those typical of transition elements to those of the lanthanides. Several separation, purification, and preparation techniques have been developed considering the different properties of the actinide elements, their availability, and application. Powerful reducing agents are necessary to produce the metals from the actinide compounds. Actinide metals are produced by metallothermic reduction of halides, oxides, or carbides, followed by the evaporation in vacuum or the thermal dissociation of iodides to refine the metals. 

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