How does hydriding and dehydriding produce niobium powder?

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niobium processing Four one-millimetre thick samples of niobium metal foil.

The hydriding and dehydriding process is a method used to convert impure niobium reguli into fine powder. The process follows these steps:

Hydriding: The impure niobium is crushed into chunks and placed in a furnace. The furnace is evacuated and heated to 800–950 °C (1,450–1,750 °F). Hydrogen is then introduced and passed over the metal for two to four hours, causing the material to become brittle.1
Pulverization: Once the hydriding is complete, the brittle niobium is crushed and pulverized into a fine powder.1
Dehydriding: The resulting powder is reheated in a vacuum to remove the hydrogen, completing the conversion into pure niobium powder.1

Following this, the powder can be pressed into compacts and subjected to sintering in a vacuum at high temperatures to further purify the metal and improve its mechanical properties.1