THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF SOME GASES ON THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SPUTTERING OF GRAPHITE IN THE LOW-PRESSURE DISCHARGE IN THE MERCURY VAPOR

The formation of impurities in a mercury valve is supposed not to be caused by the sputtering of graphite, but by chemical and electrochemical reactions in which both the graphite of the main anode and mercury vapors take part. The presence of oxygen causes decrease of weight of graphite electrodes, and nitrogen causes deposition of impurities. (auth)