Processes for the production of ultra-pure metals from oxide and their cold rolling to ultra-thin foils for use as targets and as reference materials

A wide variety of metals have been reduced from their oxides with high (>90%) yields using metallothermic reduction, hydrogen reduction or electrowinning. The high yields during metallothermic reduction were achieved by careful design of the collector and crucible orifice. Whilst each of the three techniques gave rise to reasonably (>99%) pure metals, subsequent carefully controlled vacuum distillation, using a system with especially designed crucible, baffle and collector systems, resulted in ultra-high-purity metals being produced. Using a stainless steel pack rolling technique, metals derived either directly from the reduction routes or following subsequent distillation could be rolled to foils thinner than previously reported in the literature in the majority of cases.