A non-evaporable getter 1 includes a mesh 3, a frame 2 which is attached to the mesh 3 and suppresses deformation of the mesh 3, and a powder-state getter material 4 which is surrounded by the mesh 3 and the frame 2, and whose particle size is larger than a mesh opening of the mesh 3.

A non-evaporable getter 1 includes a mesh 3, a frame 2 which is attached to the mesh 3 and suppresses deformation of the mesh 3, and a powder-state getter material 4 which is surrounded by the mesh 3 and the frame 2, and whose particle size is larger than a mesh opening of the mesh 3.

There are described dispensers (10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60) of alkali or alkaline-earth metals, comprising deposits of getter materials (13; 23; 33; 43; 53; 63) and alkali or alkaline-earth metal sources (12, 22; 32; 42; 53; 63), in which the sources of alkali or alkaline-earth metal are protected from environmental gases by said deposits of getter materials.

A method for removing a contaminant from an environment is described comprising the steps of: (i) heating a reduced and passivated getter material containing crystallites of a metal in elemental form encapsulated by a layer comprising an oxide of the metal to a temperature in the range (TT?X) to (TT+Y), where TT is the Tammann temperature of the metal in elemental form in degrees Centigrade, X is 400 and Y is 200, to form an activated getter material having active surface for contaminant removal and (ii) exposing the activated getter material to the environment containing the contaminant.

A non-evaporable getter 1 includes a mesh 3, a frame 2 which is attached to the mesh 3 and suppresses deformation of the mesh 3, and a powder-state getter material 4 which is surrounded by the mesh 3 and the frame 2, and whose particle size is larger than a mesh opening of the mesh 3.

A non-evaporable getter 1 includes a mesh 3, a frame 2 which is attached to the mesh 3 and suppresses deformation of the mesh 3, and a powder-state getter material 4 which is surrounded by the mesh 3 and the frame 2, and whose particle size is larger than a mesh opening of the mesh 3.

An apparatus for forming a vacuum in a sealed enclosure through an electrochemical reaction includes an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode supported on a solid electrolyte. The solid electrolyte is a Li-ion non-volatile electrolyte containing a dissolved metal salt. The cathode is constructed of a material with which lithium is known to form alloys. The anode is constructed of a lithium-ion containing material. The cell is operable to expose lithium metal on the cathode.

An apparatus for forming a vacuum in a sealed enclosure through an electrochemical reaction includes an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode supported on a solid electrolyte. The solid electrolyte is a Li-ion non-volatile electrolyte containing a dissolved metal salt. The cathode is constructed of a material with which lithium is known to form alloys. The anode is constructed of a lithium-ion containing material. The cell is operable to expose lithium metal on the cathode.

A non-evaporable getter 1 includes a mesh 3, a frame 2 which is attached to the mesh 3 and suppresses deformation of the mesh 3, and a powder-state getter material 4 which is surrounded by the mesh 3 and the frame 2, and whose particle size is larger than a mesh opening of the mesh 3.

A non-evaporable getter 1 includes a mesh 3, a frame 2 which is attached to the mesh 3 and suppresses deformation of the mesh 3, and a powder-state getter material 4 which is surrounded by the mesh 3 and the frame 2, and whose particle size is larger than a mesh opening of the mesh 3.