Formation of metastable stuctures and amorphous phases in Pu-based systems using the sputtering technique

Journal Article · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Metallurgical Transactions, A (Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02651648· OSTI ID:7010735

Rizzo, H F; Echeverria, A W ^[1]; Mossolski, T B ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
2. Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)

This paper reports the triode sputtering technique with a split-target arrangement used to obtain metastable crystalline and amorphous phases in ten binary systems of Pu with Si, Al, V, Fe, Co, Pd, Ta, Re, Os, and Ir. In addition to metastable extensions of solid solubility occurring from the binary sides of some systems, wide ranges of metallic glass formation have been observed in several systems. Extended bcc solid solution ranges were observed in Pu-Ta and Pu-V systems. Unlike the case of many liquid-quenched alloys, the ranges of amorphous phase formation obtained with sputtering appear to have little to do with the form of the corresponding phase diagram. However, the extent of the observed ranges on the Pu-rich side was found to obey approximately the atomic size mismatch relationship. The nearest neighbor distances (NNDs) evaluated with X-ray diffraction show many unusual deviations from an assumed Vegard's Law, which can be interpreted in relation to the changing electronic configuration of the Pu atom when present in different environments. Exposure of several amorphous alloys to severe oxidation environments did not result in observable corrosion.

• OSTI ID: 7010735
• Journal Information: Metallurgical Transactions, A (Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science); (USA), Vol. 20A:5; ISSN 0360-2133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
BINARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
PHASE STUDIES
METALLIC GLASSES
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
PLUTONIUM BASE ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
AMORPHOUS STATE
COBALT ALLOYS
IRIDIUM ALLOYS
IRON ALLOYS
METASTABLE STATES
PALLADIUM ALLOYS
QUENCHING
SILICON ALLOYS
SOLID SOLUTIONS
SPUTTERING
TANTALUM ALLOYS
VANADIUM ALLOYS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ALLOY SYSTEMS
ALLOYS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
MIXTURES
PLATINUM METAL ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
SCATTERING
SOLUTIONS
360102* - Metals & Alloys- Structure & Phase Studies
656003 - Condensed Matter Physics- Interactions between Beams & Condensed Matter- (1987-)
640302 - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
400101 - Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures