NEW MATERIAL FOR VAPOR SOURCES OF ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METALS AND A METHOD OF ITS PRODUCTION

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of production of a new material, consisting of a) a leaching of component A from the surface of particles of the composition AnGam upon exposure to hot water on a special support b) solidification of the cover layer of gallium metal in ice-cold water, and c) passivation of the gallium surface layer of the particles in streams of pure water and air. The product has the form of singular particles of monocrystalline intermetallic compounds of the general formula AnGam with a continuous gallium surface coating for usage in evaporators of metal A, where A is an alkali or alkaline earth metal. The average diameter of the particles is in the range from about 0.2 mm to about 3.5 mm, the gallium coating is thicker than 10 µm.