Investigation into tantalum and niobium hydrogen reduction from pentachlorides

Reviewed are investigations aimed to produce niobium and tantalum of high purity, as well as to synthesis of some intermetallic compounds on their base. Advantages of the method of niobium and tantalum hydrogen reduction from pentachlorides are enumerated, thermodynamical and kinetic peculiarities of the process are elucidated. Conditions of intermetallics synthesis in Nb-Sn, Nb-Ge, Nb-Si systems by combined chlorides reduction. Directions of further investigations on improvement of the process and equipment to produce pure metals out of vapor phase, on depositions of coatings made of pure metals and intermetallics of more complicated compositions are shown