CONSTANT INDIUM DELIVERY FROM TRIMETHYLINDIUM HEXADECANE SLURRY

A previous publication describes trimethylindium (TMIn) delivery from a saturated solution in N,N-dimethyldodecylamine (dmda). The relatively constant delivery rate is attributed to evaporation of excess TMIn dissolved in the 1:1 TMIn.dmda complex. According to this explanation, TMIn must be appreciably soluble in a high-boiling solvent; e.g., TMIn is reported to dissolve to the extent of about 1.7 mole per mole of dmda at ambient temperature. Hexadecane, which dissolves only a negligible amount of TMIn (0.03 mol/mol at ambient temperature), was considered but not selected as a suitable solvent. Experimental tests of TMIn slurried in hexadecane demonstrate that relatively constant delivery rates can be obtained without high solubility. It is concluded that the liquid serves the purpose of a gas dispersing medium only, and any inert, high-boiling liquid should work.