Publisher's Synopsis
High-purity refractory and rare metals are used on an increasing scale in technology and fundamental investigations. The authors examine methods of producing these metals, single-crystal growth, and properties in relation to the content of impurities and perfection of the crystal lattice. Distillation processes are analysed in detail with consideration for their deviations from thermodynamic equilibrium, including special features of evaporation from the open surface. An optimum programme of the variation of the parameters of zone melting resulting in the required degree of purification with the minimum number of passes is determined. New mechanisms of recrystallisation in the solid phase in the presence of the liquid phase are described.
