Synthesis of magnesium master alloys under metallothermic reduction of rare earth metal compounds

Abstract

Abstraсt: The purpose of the paper is to study the process of obtaining Mg-REM master alloys and determine the list of factors of the metallothermic magnesium process in order to identify optimal technological regimes. The study uses different modern methods of analysis. The X-ray fluorescence analysis was carried out using the XRF-1800 sequential X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (Shimadzu, Japan). Phase identification was performed with the use of the X-ray powder diffractometer XRD-6000 (Shimadzu, Japan). The complex thermal analysis was carried out using the STA 429 CD (NETZSCH, Germany) installation in alundum crucibles with lids in the argon stream using a Tg+DTA crucible holder. Master alloys of Mg-REM with different percentages of alloying elements have been obtained as a result of the metallothermic magnesium reduction of neodymium and gadolinium from fluoride-chloride melts. The proposed method of REM reduction from fluoride-chloride melts allows to extract neodymium and gadolinium in a percentage up to 97.4%. The obtained master alloys are homogeneous and fluid, well poured into molds.