Hydrogen halide cleaning of powder metallurgy nickel-20 chromium-3 thoria.

The Cr2O3 content of powder metallurgy nickel-20 chromium-3 thoria was reduced with atmospheres consisting of hydrogen plus hydrogen chloride (HCl) or hydrogen bromide (HBr). The nonthoria oxygen content or 'oxygen excess' was reduced from an initial amount of greater than 50,000 ppm to less than 100 ppm. Low temperatures were effective, but lowest oxygen levels were achieved with the highest cleaning temperature of 1200 C.