ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF BERYLLIUM OXIDE IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL

摘要

A method of reducing beryllium oxide in a solid state in an electrolytic cell, which electrolytic cell includes an anode, a cathode formed at least in part from beryllium oxide, and a molten electrolyte, the electrolyte including cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing beryllium oxide, and which method includes a step of operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which cations of the metal that is capable of chemically reducing beryllium oxide deposit as the metal on the cathode, whereby the metal chemically reduces beryllium oxide.