Degasification of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, or thorium

Residual gases contained in interlattice places in the title metals, esp. O and (or) N, are removed by generating a temp. gradient of >=50 Deg/cm. in the longitudinal direction of the metal articles in vacuo at >1000 Deg (but below the temp. at which eutectics or peritectics are formed in the metal-gas systems) and maintaining this temp. until the entrained gases have concd. by diffusion in the cooler parts which are then cut off from the articles. [on SciFinder (R)]