Experimental techniques in physicomechanical tests on structural metals in molten alkali metals

Alkali metals, especially lithium, used as heat transfer media in power-generating plants have a high affinity to nitrogen and oxygen, and this may affect the results of any tests on metals of this kind. As a result, it is usually necessary to purify lithium and to carry out all the preparatory work in a spectrographically pure inert atmosphere. This article describes the design and principles of operation of various apparatus developed to provide means of filtering lithium, transferring it to ampuls, hollow specimens, containers, etc., and carrying out various analyses in spectrographically pure argon.