The wet preparation and dehydration of terbium fluoride salt for terbium metal processing

Abstract

Terbium fluoride hydrate (TbF₃.nH₂O) was prepared from the terbium chloride (TbCl₃) solution using ammonium bicarbonate (NH₄HCO₃) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) as precipitate reagents. The dehydration of TbF₃.nH₂O was carried out in a tube furnace in the presence of argon. The influential factors on the production process have been studied. Thermal analysis techniques were applied to determine the temperature range for the dehydration. The obtained TbF₃ products were assessed by X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy methods. The results shown that anhydrous TbF₃ with the particle size of 200-700 nm can be used as a material to prepare terbium metal.