Porous articles consisting virtually entirely of beryllium metal are prepared by using iodine as a fugitive pore former. An admixture of beryllium powder and crystalline iodine is pressed into a compact and then heated in vacuum at a temperature of about 100.degree. C. to sublime the iodine. The compact is thereafter sintered at a temperature of about 1000.degree. C.
Methods of forming sintered valve metal are described. The methods involve sintering a valve metal such as tantalum or niobium in the presence of an iodine source. The method optionally includes deoxidizing the metal using the same equipment used in sintering and/or as a combined step. The sintered valve metal formed by the methods of the present invention preferably has relatively large pores and other properties desirable for making capacitors that have high capacitance and low leakage.
