Abstract
In the present work, an attempt was made to experimentally confirm the possibility of ion dissociation of a metal oxide as one of the stages of the reduction process. Additionally, a solid, nonvolatile reducing agent was employed to investigate the feasibility of a dissociative reduction mechanism. A common feature of all the experiments was the use of a non-contact reduction technique. This experimental approach makes it possible to investigate individual processes occurring on the surfaces of the reductant and the oxide. An essential requirement in this case is the use of low-volatility oxides and reducing agents.