High purity gadolinium by the electrolysis of GdF3

The anodic overvoltage on carbon and platinum electrodes in the electrochemical production of high purity gadolinium from molten 75 LiF-25 mol% GdF₃ solutions is discussed. At the cell temperature of 840°C calciumimpregnated anodes led to the reduction of inert electrode films and to a current yield of nearly 100%.The deposited gadolinium contained 75, 22, 54 and less than 100 ppm of the interstitial elements H, N, O and C respectively; the concentrations of the highest other analysed impurities were: Si (89), Fe (15), Y (5), Zr (3), Nd (3), Tb (71), Ta (49), W (23) and Re (<3 ppm).Partly performed at the Ames Laboratory—U.S. Department of Energy.