Abstract:
Discloses a method of making an electrode that involves providing a cup-shaped shell of sintered refractory particles, placing within the shell non-refractory backing metal, heating in a reducing atmosphere to melt the backing metal and cause it to infiltrate the shell, replacing the reducing atmosphere with an inert environment, holding the assembly in the inert environment for a sufficient period to remove a substantial quantity of dissolved gases from the molten backing metal, and then cooling within said inert environment to solidify said backing metal and remove additional dissolved gases.