Mass spectrometric investigation of palladium binary alloy phase stabilities /

A twin-chamber Knudsen effusion cell and positioning device

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Stickney, Michael John, 1956-
Format: Thesis Book
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] ; 1996.
Subjects:
Online Access:http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=743267401&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Description
Summary:A twin-chamber Knudsen effusion cell and positioning device
for studying alloys at high temperatures were designed for
use with a Nuclide model 12-90HT mass spectrometer. Several
experiments are described that were used to determine the
instrumental performance. The effect of vapor guide tubes
used to limit crossinterference of the effusate from the two
chambers was measured. These tubes limited the cross-
interference of the effusate from the two chambers to one
part in three hundred allowing activity measurements as low
as 0.02.
The instrument was used to determine the activity of
palladium in twelve palladium-niobium and ten palladium
zirconium samples ranging from 60%Pd to 97%Pd in the
temperature range from 1450K to 1800K. Both alloys
exhibited strong deviations from ideal solution behavior
even in concentrations as high as 95%Pd. The palladium
activities in each of the two phase regions of the phase
diagrams at 1600K are:[ ] Numbers in parentheses are
estimated uncertainties. Literature values for niobium
and zirconium studies were used to estimate
corresponding niobium and zirconium activities. These
were used to calculate molar formation energies at 1600K.
Molar Properties of Formation of Pd-Nb Alloys [ ]Molar
Properties[ ] Uncertainties are shown in parentheses.
The reasons for the seemingly large uncertainties in the
palladiumzirconium system are discussed along with the
relative merits of this measurement technique.
Item Description:Vita.
"Major Subject: Chemistry".
Physical Description:x, 259 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.