Preparation of high-purity lithium by a gettering technique

Gettering with yttrium or cerium at 1100 K was used to prepare high-purity lithium for subsequent use in the preparation of lithium hydride. Yttrium decreased the average oxygen concentration in lithium to about 15 atomic ppm O; lithium hydride prepared from this lithium contained from 30 to 140 atomic ppm O. Carbon concentration in lithium was not affected by gettering with yttrium or cerium. Carbon and oxygen concentration were determined by photoactivation using gamma rays produced in a high electron energy linear accelerator.