Single-crystal structure determination of two new ternary bismuthides: Rh6Mn5Bi18 and RhMnBi3.

A study of the ternary Rh-Mn-Bi phase diagram revealed the existence of two new ternary bismuthides, viz. hexarhodium pentamanganese octadecabismuthide (Rh6Mn5Bi18) and rhodium manganese tribismuthide (RhMnBi3). Their crystal structures represent new structure types. Rh6Mn5Bi18, with a Wyckoff sequence a f2 g2 i5, crystallizes in the tetragonal system (space group P42/mnm; Pearson symbol tP58), and RhMnBi3, with a Wyckoff sequence a c g i q, crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (Cmmm; oS20). In the Rh6Mn5Bi18 structure, the transition metal atoms are linked into ribbon-like structural units aligned along the [001] direction, whereas planar sheets are formed in RhMnBi3. In both crystal structures, the units formed by the transition metal atoms are enveloped by Bi atoms, which themselves form a loosely bound network. The linkage results in a layer structure for RhMnBi3, while in the case of Rh6Mn5Bi18, a three-dimensional network is formed; the latter, however, contains several areas where Bi...Bi distances suggest van der Waals interactions. Both phases under discussion have analogous structural motifs.

The Binary Bi-Rh Phase Diagram: Stable and Metastable Phases.

The binary bismuth-rhodium (Bi-Rh) phase diagram was reinvestigated from 23 to 60 at.% Rh with focus on the BiRh phase, applying powder-x-ray diffraction (XRD), high temperature powder-XRD, differential thermal analyses and scanning electron microscopy. The phase boundaries of the BiRh phase at 750 °C and the temperature of its peritectic decomposition were refined. In addition, the existence of the two phases Bi4Rh and Bi2Rh (in two modifications depending on temperature) could be confirmed. Most of the reaction temperatures reported in the literature could be verified within a range of about ± 10 °C. Nevertheless, a few temperatures had to be revised, such as those of the peritectic reactions L + Rh  ⇌  BiRh at 979 °C and L + BiRh  ⇌  ß-Bi2Rh at 785 °C. No evidence could be found for the presence of a stable Bi3Rh phase in well annealed samples; from the present results it must be concluded that Bi3Rh is actually metastable. On the other hand, a new orthorhombic phase BiRh0.81 was discovered which crystallizes in the MnP structure type (Pmna). It was found that the temperatures of the transition between the low-temperature modification α-Bi2Rh and its high-temperature form ß-Bi2Rh depend considerably on the presence or absence of metastable Bi3Rh and stable BiRh0.81, respectively.

A thermodynamic study of the cadmium-neodymium system.

ABSTRACT: Cd vapor pressures were determined over Cd-Nd samples by an isopiestic method. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range from about 690 to 1200 K and over a composition range between 48 and 92 at % Cd. From the vapor pressures, thermodynamic activities of Cd were derived for all samples at their respective sample temperatures, and partial molar enthalpies of Cd were obtained from the temperature dependence of the activities. With these partial molar enthalpies, the Cd activities were converted to a common temperature of 873 K. By means of a Gibbs-Duhem integration Nd activities and integral Gibbs energies were calculated, using a literature value of ΔfG for the phase Cd6Nd as integration constant. A minimum of ΔfG ≈ -38 kJ g-atom-1 at 873 K was obtained for the phase CdNd, a value that compares well with other CdRE compounds.

Enthalpy Effect of Adding Cobalt to Liquid Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu Lead-Free Solder Alloy: Difference between Bulk and Nanosized Cobalt.

Heat effects for the addition of Co in bulk and nanosized forms into the liquid Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu alloy were studied using drop calorimetry at four temperatures between 673 and 1173 K. Significant differences in the heat effects between nano and bulk Co additions were observed. The considerably more exothermic values of the measured enthalpy for nano Co additions are connected with the loss of the surface enthalpy of the nanoparticles due to the elimination of the surface of the nanoparticles upon their dissolution in the liquid alloy. This effect is shown to be independent of the calorimeter temperature (it depends only on the dropping temperature through the temperature dependence of the surface energy of the nanoparticles). Integral and partial enthalpies of mixing for Co in the liquid SAC-alloy were evaluated from the experimental data.

Sn-Ag-Cu nanosolders: Melting behavior and phase diagram prediction in the Sn-rich corner of the ternary system.

Melting temperatures of Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) alloys in the Sn-rich corner are of interest for lead-free soldering. At the same time, nanoparticle solders with depressed melting temperatures close to the Sn-Pb eutectic temperature have received increasing attention. Recently, the phase stability of nanoparticles has been the subject of plenty of theoretical and empirical investigations. In the present study, SAC nanoparticles of various sizes have been synthesized via chemical reduction and the size dependent melting point depression of these particles has been specified experimentally. The liquidus projection in the Sn-rich corner of the ternary SAC system has also been calculated as a function of particle size, based on the CALPHAD-approach. The calculated melting temperatures were compared with those obtained experimentally and with values reported in the literature, which revealed good agreement. The model also predicts that with decreasing particle size, the eutectic composition shifts towards the Sn-rich corner.

Synthesis and thermal behavior of tin-based alloy (Sn-Ag-Cu) nanoparticles.

The prominent melting point depression of nanoparticles has been the subject of a considerable amount of research. For their promising applications in electronics, tin-based nano-alloys such as near-eutectic Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) alloys have been synthesized via various techniques. However, due to issues such as particle aggregation and oxidation or introduced impurities, the application of these nano-size particles has been confined or aborted. For instance, thermal investigations by DTA/DSC in a large number of studies revealed exothermic peaks in the range of 240-500 °C, i.e. above the melting point of SAC nanoparticles, with different and quite controversial explanations for this unclear phenomenon. This represents a considerable drawback for the application of nanoparticles. Correspondingly, in the current study, the thermal stability of SAC nanoparticles has been investigated via electron microscopy, XRD, FTIR, and DSC/TG analysis. It was found that the nanoparticles consist mainly of a metallic ß-Sn core and an amorphous tin hydroxide shell structure. The SnO crystalline phase formation from this amorphous shell has been associated with the exothermic peaks on the first heating cycle of the nanoparticles, followed by a disproportionation reaction into metallic Sn and SnO2.The results also revealed that the surfactant and reducing agent cannot only affect the size and size distribution of the nanoparticles, they might also alter the ratio between the amorphous shell and the crystalline core in the structure of particles.

Reinvestigation of the Cd-Gd phase diagram.

The complete Cd-Gd equilibrium phase diagram was investigated by a combination of powder-XRD, SEM and DTA. All previously reported phases, i.e., CdGd, Cd2Gd, Cd3Gd, Cd45Gd11, Cd58Gd13, and Cd6Gd, could be confirmed. In addition, a new intermetallic compound with a stoichiometric composition corresponding to "Cd8Gd" was found to exist. It was obtained that "Cd8Gd" decomposes peritectically at 465 °C. Homogeneity ranges of all intermetallic compounds were determined at distinct temperatures. In addition, the maximum solubilities of Cd in the low- and high-temperature modifications of Gd were determined precisely as 4.6 and 22.6 at.%, respectively. All invariant reaction temperatures (with the exception of the formation of Cd58Gd13) as well as liquidus temperatures were determined, most probably, Cd58Gd13 is formed in a peritectoid reaction from Cd45Gd11 and Cd6Gd at a temperature below 700 °C.

Thermodynamic study of the cerium-cadmium system.

Cadmium vapor pressures were determined over Ce-Cd samples by an isopiestic method. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range from 690 to 1080 K and over a composition range of 48-85 at% Cd. From the vapor pressures thermodynamic activities of Cd were derived for all samples at their respective sample temperatures, and partial molar enthalpies of Cd were obtained from the temperature dependence of the activities. With these partial molar enthalpies the Cd activities were converted to a common temperature of 823 K. By means of a Gibbs-Duhem integration Ce activities were calculated, using a corresponding literature value for the two-phase field (CeCd11+L) as integration constant. Finally integral Gibbs energies were calculated for the composition range 48-100 at% Cd with a minimum value of -37 kJ g-atom-1 at 823 K in the phase CeCd. Phase boundaries of the intermetallic compounds CeCd, CeCd2, Ce13Cd58, and CeCd11 were estimated from the vapor pressure measurements and from SEM analyses.

Enthalpies of formation of Cd-Pr intermetallic compounds and thermodynamic assessment of the Cd-Pr system.

In the present study standard enthalpies of formation were measured by reaction and solution calorimetry at stoichiometric compositions of Cd2Pr, Cd3Pr, Cd58Pr13 and Cd6Pr. The corresponding values were determined to be -46.0, -38.8, -35.2 and -24.7 kJ/mol(at), respectively. These data together with thermodynamic data and phase diagram information from literature served as input data for a CALPHAD-type optimization of the Cd-Pr phase diagram. The complete composition range could be described precisely with the present models, both with respect to phase equilibria as well as to thermodynamic input data. The thermodynamic parameters of all intermetallic compounds were modelled following Neumann-Kopp rule. Temperature dependent contributions to the individual Gibbs energies were used for all compounds. Extended solid solubilities are well described for the low- and high-temperature modifications of Pr and also for the intermetallic compound CdPr. A quite good agreement with all viable data available from literature was found and is presented.

Thermochemical investigations in the system Cd-Gd.

Vapour pressure measurements were performed in terms of a non-isothermal isopiestic method to determine vapour pressures of Cd in the system Cd-Gd between 693 and 1045 K. From these results thermodynamic activities of Cd were derived as a function of temperature for the composition range 52-86 at.% Cd. By employing an adapted Gibbs-Helmholtz equation, partial molar enthalpies of mixing of Cd were obtained for the corresponding composition range, which were used to convert the activity values of Cd to a common average sample temperature of 773 K. The relatively large variation of the activity across the homogeneity ranges of the phases Cd2Gd and Cd45Gd11 indicates that they probably belong to the most stable intermetallic compounds in this system. An activity value of Gd for the two phase field Cd6Gd+L was available from literature and served as an integration constant for a Gibbs-Duhem integration. Integral Gibbs energies are presented between 51 and 100 at.% Cd at 773 K, referred to Cd(l) and α-Gd(s) as standard states. Gibbs energies of formation for the exact stoichiometric compositions of the phases Cd58Gd13, Cd45Gd11, Cd3Gd and Cd2Gd were obtained at 773 K as about -19.9, -21.1, -24.8, and -30.0 kJ g atom-1, respectively.

Phase equilibria in the neodymium-cadmium binary system.

The equilibrium phase diagram of the neodymium-cadmium system has been established by thermal, metallographic and X-ray analysis based on a study of 70 alloys. The system contains three congruently melting intermetallic compounds, i.e. NdCd (1040 °C), NdCd2 (995 °C), Nd11Cd45 (855 °C), and four incongruently melting compounds NdCd3 (860 °C), Nd13Cd58 (740 °C), NdCd6 (655 °C) and NdCd11 (520 °C). Four eutectic reactions are found in this binary system, i.e. at ∼25 at.% Cd and 770 °C, at 58 at.% Cd and 955 °C, at 79 at.% Cd and 850 °C, and very close to pure Cd at 318 °C, as well as one eutectoid reaction at ∼15 at.% Cd and 500 °C. The solid solubility of Nd in Cd is negligible. Dilatometric curves were recorded for three Nd-Cd compositions up to 4 at.% Cd, to accurately determine phase transitions between the solid solutions of Cd in the low- and high-temperature modification of Nd.

Experimental investigation of the Cd-Pr phase diagram.

The complete Cd-Pr equilibrium phase diagram was investigated with a combination of powder-XRD, SEM and DTA. All intermetallic compounds within this system, already reported in literature, could be confirmed: CdPr, Cd2Pr, Cd3Pr, Cd45Pr11, Cd58Pr13, Cd6Pr and Cd11Pr. The corresponding phase boundaries were determined at distinct temperatures. The homogeneity range of the high-temperature allotropic modification of Pr could be determined precisely and a limited solubility of 22.1 at.% Cd was derived. Additionally, single-crystal X-ray diffraction was employed to investigate structural details of Cd2Pr; it is isotypic to the AlB2-type structure with a z value of the Cd site of 0.5. DTA results of alloys located in the adjacent two-phase fields of Cd2Pr suggested a phase transformation between 893 and 930°C. For the phase Cd3Pr it was found that the lattice parameter a changes linearly with increasing Cd content, following Vegard's rule. The corresponding defect mechanism could be evaluated from structural data collected with single-crystal XRD. Introduction of a significant amount of vacancies on the Pr site and the reduction in symmetry of one Cd position (8c to 32f) resulted in a noticeable decrease of all R-values.

Viscosity of liquid Co-Sn alloys: thermodynamic evaluation and experiment.

Shear viscosity measurements were performed for liquid Co-Sn alloys over a wide temperature range above the respective liquidus temperatures. A high temperature oscillating-cup viscometer was used. It was found experimentally that viscosity as a function of temperature obeys an Arrhenius law. The data were compared with calculated values, obtained from different thermodynamic approaches. A good agreement was found between experimental results and calculated ones by the Budai-Benkö-Kaptay model.

Enthalpies of mixing of liquid ternary Co-Li-Sn alloys.

ABSTRACT: The partial and integral molar enthalpies of mixing of liquid Co-Li-Sn alloys were determined using drop calorimetry. The investigations were performed along six sections by the addition of lithium to mixtures with the compositions [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≈ 2:98, [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≈ 1:9, and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≈ 3:17 as well as by the addition of cobalt to mixtures with the compositions [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≈ 3:17, [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≈ 1:2, and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ≈ 1:1 at a temperature of 1,173 K. The Co-Li-Sn system shows exothermic behavior of the integral molar enthalpy of mixing in the investigated concentration range. The integral molar enthalpy of mixing of liquid Co-Li system was calculated by Miedema's model to fit our measured ternary data using an extended Redlich-Kister-Muggianu model for substitutional solutions.

Enthalpies of mixing of liquid systems for lead free soldering: Al-Cu-Sn system.

The present work refers to high-temperature drop calorimetric measurements on liquid Al-Cu, Al-Sn, and Al-Cu-Sn alloys. The binary systems have been investigated at 973 K, up to 40 at.% Cu in case of Al-Cu, and over the entire concentrational range in case of Al-Sn. Measurements in the ternary Al-Cu-Sn system were performed along the following cross-sections: x(Al)/x(Cu) = 1:1, x(Al)/x(Sn) = 1:1, x(Cu)/x(Sn) = 7:3, x(Cu)/x(Sn) = 1:1, and x(Cu)/x(Sn) = 3:7 at 1273 K. Experimental data were used to find ternary interaction parameters by applying the Redlich-Kister-Muggianu model for substitutional solutions, and a full set of parameters describing the concentration dependence of the enthalpy of mixing was derived. From these, the isoenthalpy curves were constructed for 1273 K. The ternary system shows an exothermic enthalpy minimum of approx. -18,000 J/mol in the Al-Cu binary and a maximum of approx. 4000 J/mol in the Al-Sn binary system. The Al-Cu-Sn system is characterized by considerable repulsive ternary interactions as shown by the positive ternary interaction parameters.

The high-temperature phase equilibria of the Ni-Sn-Zn system: Isothermal sections.

In this work three complete isothermal sections of the Ni-Sn-Zn system at 700, 800 and 900 °C are presented. They were constructed based on experimental investigation of more than 60 alloy samples. Powder XRD, single crystal XRD, EPMA, and DTA measurements on selected samples were carried out. Two new ternary compounds, designated as τ2 (Ni5Sn4Zn) and τ3 (Ni7Sn9Zn5), were identified and their homogeneity ranges and crystal structures could be described. Whereas τ3 is only present at 700 °C, the τ2-phase was found at both 700 and 800 °C. No truly ternary compound could be found in the isothermal section at 900 °C. A seemingly ternary compound at 20 at% Sn in the Ni-rich part of Ni-Sn-Zn was found at 800 and 900 °C. Our XRD results, however, indicate that this phase is a ternary solid solution of Ni3Sn-HT from constituent binary Ni-Sn. It is stabilized to lower temperatures by additions of Zn. These new experimental results will provide valuable information to the thermodynamic description of alloy systems relevant for high-temperature lead-free soldering.