Kroll process beryllium

High-purity beryllium metal was prepared on a laboratory scale by Kroll process procedures in which sodium was used as a reductant. Crude beryllium chloride, purchased from commercial sources, was purified by vacuum sublimation and fused-salt scrubbing. Purified beryllium chloride was vaporized and reacted at a controlled rate with molten sodium at temperatures ranging from 650° to 750°C to form beryllium sponge. Excess metal reductant and byproduct salt were removed from the sponge metal by vacuum distillation. Beryllium sponge metal was wet ball milled to ?200 or ?400 mesh powders. Beryllium powder metal, subsequently consolidated by isostatic pressing, was hot extruded and machined into tensile specimens for evaluation of mechanical properties. Evaluation indicates that the beryllium described in this study is of higher purity than comparable commercial grades of metal; also it is more ductile but has somewhat lower strength. The overall process appears to have an excellent potential from an economic standpoint.