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By R. S. Busk

TWO groups of binary alloys were prepared. The first group consisted of those elements relatively soluble in magnesium: Li, Al, Zn, Ga, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Hg, T1, Pb, and Bi. These are predominately Group B elements. The second group consisted of most of the remaining metallic elements, all of which are relatively insoluble in magnesium: As, Au, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cu, Ir, La, Mn, Ni, Pd, Pt, Rh, Sb, Si, Te, Ti, W, and Zr. These are all Group A, transition, or rare earth elements. Alloys of the first group were prepared by melting sublimed magnesium and elements as pure as obtainable in a graphite crucible, using a standard flux1 for protection. The melts were poured into a small graphite mold to produce 3xY4 in. diam slugs. Spectroscopic analyses were made of each slug. In all cases, the total impurity content was less than 0.05 pct. The slugs were then heat treated 5°C below the eutectic temperature until complete solution, as judged metallographically, was obtained. Filings from the center of the slugs were compacted at room temperature into 1/2 in. long x 1/4 in. diam cylinders, sealed in pyrex under 1/2 atm of purified argon, annealed at the heat-treating temperature for 1 hr, and quenched in water. After the X-ray diffraction patterns were made, each compact was analyzed chemically for the solute. It was found that the Mg-Li alloys reacted during filing to reduce the Li in solid solution. For this series of alloys, the slug was cold worked, annealed in purified argon, the surface dissolved in dilute HC1 to a depth of about 0.005 in., and the X-ray exposure made on the fresh surface. This procedure resulted in sharp, continuous lines and in true values for the lattice parameters. The alloys in the second group were prepared in the same way except that about 1 wt pct of each solute was added. Since the solubility limit was exceeded, not all the solute dissolved. These alloys were analyzed spectroscopically only to confirm the presence of the solute. The diffraction patterns were of the back-reflec-tion type using the characteristic copper radiation* and a flat cassette. Both the film and the specimen were rotated. The specimen temperature was maintained at 25" ± 1°C. The films had sharp lines; their diameters were measured directly to 0.01 cm. The parameters were calculated from the line diameters using a modified version of Cohen's extrapolation method.2 his method effectively eliminates systematic errors such as film shrinkage, inaccurate alignment, and non-precise film-to-speci-men distance. The random errors were minimized

Jan 1, 1951

By Horace Pops

ThE shape of the primary solid-solubility limits in copper-rich Cu-Si-Zn alloys has been discussed recently1 in terms of the atomic size effects and the electron concentration, e/a. Although these limits are parallel to lines of constant e/a near the Cu-Zn binary system, they deviate and become sharply restricted near the Cu-Si binary system. Hence, it appears that the primary solid solutions with higher silicon contents are restricted by the presence of the intermediate phases, [, X, and p, which follow them in the ternary system. owever, a similar restriction in solid solubility might also result from an interaction in the copper matrix between silicon and zinc. Evidence for such possible interactions has been observed, for example, in the Al-Mg-Si systion.A where a contraction of lattice spacings in the ternary solid solution appears to correspond to an electrochemical interaction between the two solute elements, magnesium and silicon. The observed contraction is associated with restricted solid solubility. It was also shown1 that the extent of the primary solid solubility did not follow the trends predicted by the lattice-distortion oncept." This again suggested that the solubility limits are strongly affected by the stability of the intermediate phases, I, 1, and X . In order to test the above hypotheses, lattice-parameter measurements of the fcc @-phase alloys were determined within the ternary system at a constant electron concentration (e/a = 1.30) and also at a constant zinc content. Alloys of predetermined composition were prepared from high-purity metals and melted and cast under reduced pressures of helium in quartz capsules. Since the weight losses were very slight and did not exceed one part in 2000, the nominal compositions listed in Table I were accepted without chemical analyses. The ingots were homogenized

Jan 1, 1964

By John T. Norton, Matthew J. Donachie

Residual lattice strai?zs were produced in 2024 aluminum and ingot iron by uniaxial tensile deformation. These strains were rneasured on the original surface and ulith depth below the surface. The strains conformed approximately to those from a macroscopic stress distribution but they were not truly macroscopic in nature. The exact mechanism which apparently causes the coherently difi9,acting region of each grain to behave as if macroscopically stressed was not determined. MACROSCOPIC stresses in metals produce strains in the lattice which result in X-ray line broadening and line displacements. The latter effect can be utilized in a technique for determining stresses in metals as first shown by Lester and born.' Subsequent advances in technique have enabled the X-ray method of stress measurement to be satisfactorily applied to many problems involving residual stresses of a macroscopic nature, such as those due to welding, grinding, shot-peening, and so forth. In the case of stresses such as those described above, the correlation of X-ray- and mechanically determined data has been generally good. However, plastically extended polycrystalline metals have sometimes been reported2 to show line displacements upon release of the applied tensile load, yet the nature or origin of the residual lattice strains, rls, producing these displacements has never been clear. As will be pointed out, this lack of clarity regarding the macroscopic or microscopic nature and origin of these stresses casts doubt on the validity of results achieved by the commonly accepted techniques of X-ray stress measurement. This anomalous behavior requires clarification to remove the doubts concerning X-ray stress measurement. The present paper is the result of an investigation of the interesting behavior of such plastically extended polycrystalline metal bodies. The studies were originated to carry out the following tasks: 1) Observe whether a residual lattice strain is produced as a result of plastic extension and show whether any residual lattice strains produced can be related to the usual concept of a macrostress. 2) Examine the origin of any residual lattice strains observed. 3) Consider the implications or consequences of the existence of such residual lattice strains on the problem of X-ray stress measurement. THEORY 1) Lattice Strains. The theoretical developments necessary for the treatment of lattice strains and their relation to stresses follow from the classical theory of elasticity and have been adequately covered by arrett. For an isotropic solid under homogeneous deformation, it can be shown that, for uniaxial stresses where Dl is the macrostress acting in the longitudinal direction; E$L is the lattice strain in the plane defined by the surface normal and the longitudinal direction at an angle, , from the surface normal; ET is the similar strain in the transverse plane; E is Young's modulus; and v is Poisson's ratio. Eq. [2] is independent of angle + and Eq. [I] is a linear function of sin2, see Fig. 1, and can be solved analytically for DL if E and u are known and EL is measured. Thus, a uniaxial macrostress will be indicated by a linear E,L vs sinZ plot and a

Jan 1, 1962

By R. E. Hanneman, A. N. Mariano

In conjunction with the need for accurate volumetric data in the Fe-V system for subsequent use in calculating the high-pressure diagrams, room- and high-temperature X-ray diffraction measurements have been carried out. No previous measurements have been published on lattice parameters or volume changes associated with the a transformation for Fe-V alloys. The existing literature on lattice-parameter data for the a and s phases has been reviewed by pearson1 with considerable uncertainty indicated in the data. In order to obtain a good estimate of ?Va-? for thermodynamic calculations of the a D ?(bee D fee) phase stability, high-temperature vacuum X-ray diffraction measurements were made on an Fe-V alloy of 0.92 wt pet V. The term ?Va-? is the difference of molar volumes of the limiting solubilities of the a and y phases at any given temperature; these values can be calculated readily from the appropriate lattice-parameter data. The equipment used was a commercially available MRC (Materials Research Corp.) high-temperature X-ray camera which was fitted to a Norelco diffractometer

Jan 1, 1964

By R. J. Teitel

The Pb-U system has been investigated by X-ray, thermal, and microscopic analyses. Two pyrophoric intermetallic compounds were found; UPb3 and UPb. The crystallographic structure of UPb3 is reported. A phase diagram was drawn for the system showing three eutectic and one syntectic reaction. AS a result of the interest in uranium metallurgy, the Pb-U system has been investigated. Practically no quantitative data appears in the literature concerning this system. Chips were machined from bars of high-purity uranium obtained from Ames Laboratory and the lead was 99.9 pct high-purity grade from Bel-mont Smelting & Refining Co. The chips were pickled in a dilute solution of nitric acid, washed in water and then alcohol, and dried prior to use for alloy preparation. The lead was simply sheared from the pig with no chemical treatment. Lead and uranium were placed in graphite crucibles and loaded into an induction furnace. In order to insure good alloy formation, the lead was loaded above the uranium to wash the uranium chips into the melt. After the charge was held at the desired preparation temperature for 15 to 30 min, it was allowed to cool in the crucible. The entire melting operation was accomplished in an atmosphere of helium (double charcoal refined grade with no further treatment). The procedure was to outgas the furnace by first evacuating it to 10-% m Hg, admitting helium to 8 psi gage and sealing the furnace off. An optical pyrometer focused on the charge through a hole in the crucible cover was employed for thermal measurements. Usually a 50° to 70°C correction had to be added to the instrument value. The most suitable alloy preparation temperature range was found between 1220° and 1280°C. The reason for this is explained by the phase diagram, Fig. 7. Above this temperature range two liquids separate preventing alloy formation upon cooling at a reasonable rate. On the other hand, below this range the uranium was coated with a layer of both compounds and the rate of reaction was diminished by diffusion processes. The fastest reaction rate occurred in this narrow range of temperature because only UPb coats the uranium and it evidently does not protect the uranium as well as UPb,. Apparatus and Procedures The development of apparatus and techniques was determined by the peculiar properties of the alloys. All the alloys were pyrophoric, and, consequently, the alloys had to be protected from oxidation by handling them in a dry box or inert atmosphere furnaces. Other operations performed outside of this equipment had to be done as quickly as possible. Thermal analyses were conducted in a furnace and arrangement similar to that described by the author.' Graphite crucibles having a thermocouple well in the bottom were used to contain the prepared alloy, while a helium atmosphere protected the melt from oxidation. The furnace was outgassed by pumping a 10-3 mm Hg vacuum until the furnace had been heated to 400°C. Then helium was admitted and the furnace sealed under 8 psi gage pressure. Chromel-alumel thermocouples were used for thermal analysis and the accuracy of thermal measurements was judged to be k 5°C. At first, an attempt was made to use platinum-platinum-rhodium thermocouples, but evidently lead vapors attack it at high temperatures forming low melting alloys. These lead vapors had direct access to the thermocouple because the graphite crucible was porous. A differential temperature control was used to regulate thermal analyses. The thermal gradient across an alundum tube placed between the windings and the crucible was maintained constant by a controller.

Jan 1, 1953

By M. H. Pilkuhn, H. Rupprecht

The junction luminescence of GaAsxP1-x diodes containing up to 47 pct Gap was studied. Diodes were prepared by diffusing zinc into n-type material which was eithw boat- or vapor-gvown. Observations concerning the energy and the line shape of the spontaneous emission are presented and discussed; in particular the influence of inhomogeneous phosphorus distribution is considered. The role of reabsorption of the junction radiation is pointed out. With increasing current, the peak emission shifts to higher enwgy. This is alm true in cases where slow line narrowing occurs simultaneously. The length dependence of the threshold current density for lasing at 77 °K was examined for lasers made from the same material. It was found that longer lasers have lower threshold curvent densities, Estimates of the characteristic laser losses are given. Data concwning the range of Gap concentration in which stimulated emission was observed are presented. FORWARD-BIASED p-n junctions in mixed alloys of GaAsxPl-, emit light whose wave length depenfs on the composition of the alloy ranging from 8400A (x = 1) to 5350A (x = 0) at 77°K. Laser action in vapor-grown material was first reported by Holonyak and evacqua,' and in boat-grown material by Ainslie, Pilkuhn, and Rupprecht.' In both cases this was observed for low Gap concentration where GaAs,Pl-, is still a "direct" semiconductor with the lowest conductance-band minimum at k = 0 and a subsidiary minimum in the [loo] direction. As the Gap concentration is increased, the subsidiary [loo] minimum in the conduction band is lowered and finally becomes the lowest minimum for Gap concentrations above 50 pt,3 making the alloy an ''indirect" semiconductor. It is of interest to determine up to which Gap concentration stimulated emission can be observed. EXPERIMENTAL Boat-grown material was prepared by N. Ainslie of IBM by horizontal Bridgman technique. The material was n type and silicon-doped up to a concentration of 10'' cm-'. Vapor-grown material was made by E. Hull of IBM or received from Merck & Co. Diodes were fabricated in a similar manner as in the case of GaAs by zinc diffusion. Details about the diffusion can be found in a later paper.4 All diodes were of Fabry-Perot structure with two parallel sides cleaved and the other two sides sawed. Their width ranged from 50 to 150 p and their length from 50 to 700 p. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Spectral Distributions. A typical display of the junction luminescence of a GaAsxPl-, diode is shown in Fig. 1. The liquid-nitrogen and room-temperature curves which were taken at a very low current (25 ma dc) show a relatively sharp high-energy emission which is band-edge radiation. They also show a broad low-energy emission which is due to transitions to deep impurity levels. This latter emission line may have different shapes and positions depending on the nature of the material. It can sometimes be quite near the band gap giving rise to "bumps" in the high-energy line. The results presented in this paper will be concerned only with the high-energy emission which becomes more intense relative to the low-energy emission when the current is increased and the temperature is lowered.

Jan 1, 1964

By C. W. Spencer, B. F. Addis, G. H. Bishop, C. A. Steidel

STUDIES of the inter granular attack of metals by liquids have generally been confined to polycrys-talline specimens. This note reports the results of preliminary studies of the penetration of bismuth-rich Ni-Bi liquids into oriented bicrystal specimens of nickel. It is found that isothermal penetration follows a parabolic rate law and shows a definite anisatropy with respect to direction on the grain boundary surface. Nickel bicrystals containing < 100> tilt boundaries were grown using the Czochralski method. Relative misorientation of the parent crystals was controlled to ± 1deg. The boundaries are straight in the growth direction, i.e., the common <100>, and generally straight in the transverse direction, as shown in Fig. 1. The starting material, Inco HPM grade nickel was contained in a recrystallized alumina crucible and maintained under argon. Bicrystals typically contain 30 ppm C, less than 10 ppm S, O, N, and 50 ppm residual metallics, principally iron and silicon. Specimens, as schematically illustrated in Fig. l(c),were cut from bicrystal ingots using a thin water-cooled abrasive wheel. To insure removal of all residual strain, which accelerates the penetration, specimens were round through 600 grit silicon-carbide, chemically polished, and annealed for 4 hr at 1375°C under argon. The procedure described by Cheney et al.1 for exposing specimens to

Jan 1, 1962

By G. F. Sager, B. J. Nelson

Magnesium alloy forgings offer higher and more uniform mechanical properties than heat treated magnesium alloy castings and are used principally for light weight parts that may be stressed in fatigue or subject to impact loads, or where space limitations do not permit the use of the necessarily bulkier magnesium alloy castings. Compositions and Properties of Magnesium Forging Alloys The nominal compositions and properties of the principal commercial magnesium forging alloys are given in Table 1. The two that are most commonly used are AMC58S and AM65S. The former has the highest strength and is, therefore, employed for heavy duty applications. However, the forging of this alloy and of AMC57S ordinarily requires the use of slow speed hydraulic presses. The forging alloy AM65S combines good, although somewhat lower, mechanical properties with excellent forging characteristics. This alloy can be forged on hammers, upsetters, rolls, and mechanical presses, as well as on hydraulic presses. These characteristics make it particularly useful for many applications. Manganese Segregation in AM65S The alloy AM65S contains 5 pct tin, 3 1/2 pct aluminum, and a small amount of manganese, the manganese being added to insure satisfactory resistance to corrosion. Some manganese segregation was occasionally encountered in this alloy. In many applications, such segregation is of no particular consequence, but when forgings are acid dipped prior to the application of various chemical coatings, the segregated particles of manganese constituent may stand in relief. The resultant surface roughening may impair appearance and is undesirable in forgings employed in the textile industry, where very smooth surfaces are essential to avoid the catching and breaking of fine threads. An effort was therefore made to determine the cause of manganese segregation in this alloy and find a method for its elimination. Radiographic examination of a series of cast ingot sections and extruded samples of the AM65S type having manganese contents ranging from zero to about 0.7 pct revealed no appreciable manganese segregation when the manganese was less than about 0.4 pct. A small amount was observed with a manganese content of 0.46 pct and considerable with manganese contents of 0.6 pct or higher. Attempts to eliminate the manganese segregation by variations in the melting and casting conditions were unsuccessful and it soon became apparent that the trouble was attributable to the fact that the manganese contents that caused segregation were in excess of the amounts that would remain in solution at temperatures encountered in the melting and/or casting operations prior to the complete solidification of the ingots. A knowledge of the amounts of manganese that would be soluble in molten alloys of the AM65S type at various temperatures was obviously desirable. The liquid solubilities of manganese in binary Mg-Mn alloys and in Mg-Al-Mn and Mg-Zn-Mn alloys have been determined by Tiner and others,* but no data on the solubility of manganese in molten magnesium alloys containing tin and aluminum are given in the literature. For this reason, an investigation to determine the solubility of manganese in a magnesium alloy containing 5 pct tin and 3.5 pct aluminum (AM65S type) was undertaken.

Jan 1, 1950

By A. Ahmadieh, J. E. Dorn, Jack Mitchell

A detailed investigation of the disloccrtion mechanisms controlling prismatic, slip in a solid solutions of magnesium containing up to 15.9 at. pel Li revealed that low-temperature prismatic slip is controlled by the Peicrl&apos;s mechanism for all alloy compositions. At higher temperatures slip in the 7.9 at. pet Li alloy was found to follow the diclates of the cross-slip mechanism from basal to prism planes, while the higlier-lilhium alloys exhibited an athermal dejormation process which might be due COARSE-GRAINED polycrystalline aggregates of distilled magnesium exhibit very limited ductility at low temperatures.&apos; The ductility of polycrystalline magnesium, however, is much improved by solid-solution additions in excess of about 8 at. pct to shot-range ordering. The major effect of lithium additions on the low-temperature Shear] stress. for prismatic slip appears to be due to its efftct in lowering the Peierl&apos;s stress whereas (1 increase in the shear stress with increased lithium conlent at higher temperatures might he due to short-range order strengthening. Additions rip to 7.9 (at. pel Li appear to have only minor effects on the slackiug-jaidt energy. Li.2 Although the relative amounts of basal slip and twinning are not materially altered by such alloying, a substantial change takes place in the relative amounts of prismatic slip. Whereas prismatic slip is negligible and limited to regions of high stress concentrations in the vicinity of the grain boundaries in pure magnesium, extensive prismatic slip over entire grains occurs in the higher lithium content alloys. Furthermore, as the lithium content is increased above 8 at. pct, the flow stress for polycrystalline aggregates decreases. Comparison of the single-crystal data on pure magnesium for basal slip by Sheely and Nash3 and those for prismatic slip by Flynn, Mote, and Dorn4 indicates that the critical resolved shear stress for prismatic slip is much above that for basal slip.

Jan 1, 1965

By M. Kaufman, D. Rosenthal

IT would be of great importance to our understanding of the phenomena of fracture in metals if a unique relationship could be established between stress and some easily measurable parameter of deformation up to the fracture. It is known that no such relationshir, has been found when the parameter was the mechanically measured strain,&apos; the major part of which is plastic. The present investigation was initiated to determine, among other things, if the X-ray or lattice strain" might be a • For the definition of lattice strain see ref. 2. more suitable parameter. To this end, annealed stress free*&apos; specimens of 61s aluminum alloy were ** Freedom of stress in this particular case means absence of those stresses which can be checked by the technique employed. tested at room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature (—195OC), by first maintaining the same temperature from the beginning until the end of the test, and then with crossovers from one temperature to the other. Three major factors had to be taken into consideration in designing the specimens and testing equipment. The test setup must allow X-ray pictures to be taken while the specimen is under load (for as much as 2 hr at a given load). Provision must be made for maintaining the test specimen at the temperature of liquid nitrogen as well as at room temperature. In addition, the specimen must be able to rotate to allow the X,ray beam to take in as large a sample of grains as possible, to maintain centering, and to correct for effects of large grains. The final design of the specimen and equipment is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The specimen and grips are hollow, enabling liquid nitrogen to be poured in through a funnel-container arrangement while the specimen is rotating. The diameter of the specimens at the 2 in. gage section is 5/16 in. with a 3/16 in. diameter hole through the center. A small pilot valve in the lower grip allows a very small stream of liquid nitrogen to escape, thus assuring circulation of the liquid at all times. A low temperature silicone grease-tissue paper packing is used to seal all joints. The specimen is held in the grips by a pin. Spherical socket joints at top and bottom are used to allow for proper alignment. The grips are connected to the thrust bearings by means of plastic couplings to decrease the heat flow. Rotation is accomplished by means of a motor which drives a plastic gear (integral with the lower coupling) through a semiuniversal joint to allow for deforma- tion of the specimen. The torque applied to the specimen is very small. The maximum stress caused by this torque at the highest loads reached was found to be less than 200 psi, The whole unit was mounted in a 10,000 Ib testing machine. An insulation cage was placed around the specimen to cut down air circulation, and consequent frosting of the specimen, and also to reduce radiation and convection heat losses. A narrow window, covered on both sides with a thin plastic materiai allows the X-ray beam to reach the specimen. Thermocouples placed just outside the pilot hole at the lower grip, in the bottom of the funnel container and near the top of the funnel container permitted checks of the

Jan 1, 1955

By R. I. Jaffee, R. M. Evans

IN recent years, the interest in liquid metals as heat-transfer media for power plants has been very great. The possibility of the development of nuclear power plants has increased this interest and served as the impetus behind much research on low melting metals and alloys for such purposes. The principal reasons for consideration of liquid metals as heat-transfer media lie in their high thermal conductivity and consequent high heat-transfer coefficients, stability at high temperatures, and the high ranges of temperature possible. The element gallium possesses some of the requisite properties for a heat-transfer liquid. It is a unique material, having a low melting point and a high boiling point. Pure gallium melts at 29.78oC, and suitable alloying will produce a metal which melts below room temperature. The boiling point is about 2000°C. As it is a liquid metal, the heat-transfer characteristics would be good. Gallium is not now readily available, due in part to a lack of uses for the metal. Nevertheless, it is not a rare element, and a sufficient supply of gallium exists to permit its consideration for this use. Since gallium has some promise as a heat-transfer liquid, owing to its unique properties, research on the subject was carried on at Battelle Memorial Institute at the request of the Bureau of Ships, U.S.N. The research had as its objectives the determination of the effect of alloying on the melting point of gallium, and the study of the corrosion of possible container materials. In this research, alloys were found which had significantly lower melting points than pure gallium, but none which simultaneously fulfilled other additional requirements, chiefly the corrosion problem. Neither was it found possible to reduce the melting point of certain otherwise suitable alloys appreciably by small additions of gallium or gallium alloys. The results gave little hope that gallium alloys can be developed which enhance the good properties and minimize the undesirable characteristics of elemental gallium. Thus, gallium now appears less promising than other metallic heat-transfer media. The experimental thermal-analysis techniques used in this work have been described.&apos; Experimental Results As a first approximation, the development of low melting gallium alloys was based on alloying elements suitable for use in a nuclear power plant, which also lowered the melting point of gallium. Information from the literature, summarized in Table I, indicates that. tin, aluminum, and zinc are the only suitable elements which cause a lowering of the melting point of gallium. Indium and silver also lower the melting point of gallium, but are of little interest for use in nuclear power plants. Of the elements reported not to lower the melting point of gallium, there is some ambiguity on the behavior of copper. Weibke3 obtained solidus arrest temperatures of 29°C for Cu-Ga alloys from 60 to 90 pct Ga, 0.8C lower than the generally accepted melting point. This may be the effect of a eutectic close to gallium, or, more likely, the result of impurities, or experimental error. The seven elements listed in Table I whose effects were not known were of potential interest if they lowered the melting point of gallium. Their effects were determined experimentally for this reason. Binary alloys containing nominally 2 pct of each of these elements were prepared in the form of 2-g melts by placing the components in a graphite crucible and holding them in an argon atmosphere at 370°C for 5 hr. These melts were then subjected to thermal analysis. In all cases. the solidus temperature was the melting point of gallium. Since these elements (As, Ca, Ce, Mg. Sb, Si, and T1) did not lower the melting point of gallium, they were not considered further as components of a eutectic-type alloy. Ga-Sn-Zn Alloys Preliminary considerations of this system for low-melting alloys were encouraging. All three binary systems were of the simple eutectic type. The composition and melting points of the eutectics were as follows: Sn-9 pct Zn (199°C), Ga-8 pct Sn (20°C), and Ga-5 pct Zn (25°C). Therefore, the probability of a ternary eutectic was high. For reasons to be discussed later, aluminum could not be used as an alloying constituent, leaving the Ga-Sn-Zn system as the only one of interest for low-melting gallium-

Jan 1, 1953

By G. V. Raymor, James T. Waber, I. Rex Harris

The lattice parameters of a series of fcc alloys of cerium and thorium were measured at 93 " and 298OK. Lattice parameters were also estimated for 171OK. Substantial deviations, y, from Vegard&apos;s law were observed. Although y was negative at the two higher temperatures, it was positive and large at the lowest temperature. A variety of models, which have been proposed in the past, were considered, and the calculated values of y were compared with the observed values. The best agreement was achieved with values computed with Friedel&apos;s equation. THE purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of temperature on the lattice parameter and on deviations from Vegard&apos;s law of Ce-Th alloys. A large negative deviation from Vegard&apos;s law was first observed independently by Weiner, Freeth, and Raynor&apos; and Van vucht2 in the room-temperature lattice parameters of Ce-Th alloys that form a continuous series of solid solutions. This observation was confirmed by Evans and Raynor. The allotropy of unalloyed cerium was reviewed recently by Gschneidner, Elliott, and McDonald. In two subsequent papers,5" these authors reported the influence of various alloying additions on the y= transformation, which occurs below room temperature. Although other rare earths tend to stabilize the double-hexagonal phase, thorium, plutonium, and scandium as solutes tend to stabilize the normal fcc phase. With addition of sufficient thorium as a solute, there is evidence that the formation of is suppressed and it becomes possible to pass continuously with decreasing temperature from the room-temperature phase to the fcc a phase. Thus there is a closed loop which is similar in many ways to the y loop well-known in ferrous alloys. A closed field also occurs in the pressure-temperature "equilibrium" diagram of unalloyed cerium. Because of interest in the effect of thorium additions and their influence on the a and phases, lattice-parameter measurements were made at low temperatures on the fcc phase for a series of alloys ranging from 10 to 90 at. pct Th. The results obtained at three temperatures are shown in Fig. 1. Evans and Raynors analyzed the deviations from Vegard&apos;s law in Ce-Th alloys in terms of changes in the occupancy of the 4f electron level in cerium,

Jan 1, 1964

By D. E. Peacock, B. Harris

The mechanical behavior of a niobium (columbium)TUNG alloy containing 20 wt pet Ta. 15 wt pet W, and 5 wt pct Mo has been studied in the temperature range 77° to 423°K. All specitrzens tested, apart from those into which oxygen was introduced deliberately, were fully recrystallized at 1500°C, had an average grain diameter of approximately 0.03 mm, and a combined carbon, ox-vgen. nitrogen, and hydrogen content of not not more than 250 ppm The meckatnical behavior of this alloy was found to be similar in seine respects to that of unalloyed bcc transilion metals. Both yield and flow stresses were sensililae to changes in deformation rate and both increased rapidly as the temperature was lowered below 150°C. A detailed examination revealed, however, that most of the temperature dependencc of the yield stress could be accounted for by the temperature dependence of the elaslic, modulus, whish is not true of the unualloyed metals. In lension at moderate strain rates, the trunsition fvom ducfile to hvittle behavior occurred just belour room teunperature bur incveasing the oxygen content from 190 to 200 pptn raised the transition temperature to about 4000K. TUNGSTEN and molybdenum have been found to be very effective high-temperature solid-solution strengtheners of niobium, but the amounts of these elements that can be added are limited if the alloy is to retain useful room-temperature ductility. It has been shown, however, that partial replacement of niobium with tantalum lowers the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of such alloys and allows larger additions of molybdenum and tungsten to be made. Some of the high-temperature properties of niobium alloys containing these elements have been reported by Bartlett et al.,&apos; and the work presented here describes the low-temperature behavior of one of these, a solid-solution alloy containing, by weight, 20 pct Ta, 15 pct W, and 5 pct Mo. The elastic modulus, the temperature and strain-rate dependence of the yield and ultimate tensile stresses, and strain-hardening effects are discussed and compared with those of unalloyed niobium. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIAL AND PROCEDURE The material used in this investigation was produced from a 6-in.-diameter, double arc-melted ingot. This was can-extruded at about 1150°C to a 3-in.-diameter billet, and after annealing for 1 hr at 1345°C the billet was heated to 1315OC and part rolled and part forged to 0.5-in.-thick plate. The resulting material exhibited a cold-worked structure

Jan 1, 1965

By Robert L. Fleischer

A well known but unexplained experimental fact is the observation1 that aluminum shows a pure <111> wire texture, in contrast with other fcc metals, which have a mixed <100> <111> texture at moderate reductions. A possibly related single crystal observation on aluminum is the following:2 under tensile deformation <111> single crystals are stable (maintain their original axial orientation), while <100> crystals are unstable at room temperature and become stable at lower temperatures. This suggests that at room temperature, as proposed by Yen and Hibbard,3 the single <111> texture obtains be- cause <100> orientations are unstable in the poly-crystal. It also implies that for wire drawing at lower temperature a <100> component of the texture might be expected since that orientation is then stable. This possibility has been examined by wire drawing at temperatures near 77°K. The apparatus was designed to be used with an existing draw-bench, a steel trough acting as die holder and containing sufficient liquid nitrogen to immerse the wire entering the die. The trough is insulated by a styrofoam container to prevent excessive boiling of the bath. The wire emerging from the die enters a polyethylene tube, into the far end of which the grips are inserted. Liquid nitrogen is funneled into the tube to maintain the low tem-

Jan 1, 1962

By N. S. Stoloff, R. C. Ku, R. G. Davies

The stress-strain behavior of Fe-Co and Fe- V alloys containing up to 25 pct solute have been studied in the temperature range 25° to - 196°C. The microyield stress is independent of temperature for all alloys studied, while the temperature dependence of the ordinary yield stress is large and comparable to that for unalloyed iron. An alloy-softening phenomenon is observed for many alloys relative to unalloyed iron, and appears to be a consequence of removal of inter-stitials from solution and their subsequent agglomeration. The ductile to brittle transition temperature is increased markedly by both cobalt and vanadium. Transmission electron microscopy observations reveal that cross slip and cell formation are restricted with increasing solute, which can account for many aspects of yielding and fracture behavior. IRON and other metals of bcc structure slip on many planes of the (111) zone at moderate and elevated temperatures, giving rise to wavy glide. At low temperatures, however, there is a tendency for slip to be restricted to planes of only one or two crystallographic types; in the case of Fe-Si alloys for example, (110) glide predominates, giving rise to planar slip bands."&apos; Restriction of cross slip at low temperatures in iron has been linked by Brown and Ekvall3 to increased strain hardening in the preyield microstrain region, leading to an apparently large temperature dependence of the yield stress. Support for this view has been provided by Lawley and Gaigher4 from a transmission electron microscope study of molybdenum. They concluded that dislocations at lower temperatures, by virtue of their inability to change planes readily, are unable to interact and annihilate, leading to an increase in internal stress and work-hardening capacity. Restriction of cross slip at low temperatures has also been suggested to be an important factor in determining the ductile to brittle transition of single-phase solids, including metals of bcc structure.5 It is pertinent to note that most solute elements tend to raise the ductile to brittle transition temperature of poly crystalline ferrite,6,7 although in some cases, e.g., Fe-Cr7 and Fe-Al,8 the dilute alloys may actually yield at lower stresses than unalloyed iron. It appears, therefore, that solute elements may have an effect analogous to lowering the test temperature with regard to restricting cross glide. Such an effect has indeed been observed in the ionic alloy system KCl-KBr,9 in which bromine atoms, although causing little misfit and consequently little effect on the yield stress of KC1, have a pronounced effect in restricting wavy glide and inducing brittleness. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effects of selected solute atoms on the yield stress and fracture behavior of iron, and to elucidate in turn how the slip character was related to these properties. Since it is known that interstitial atoms exert a strong influence on the mechanical behavior of iron, the solute elements chosen for study were vanadium, which reacts strong with interstitials,10 and cobalt, which does not form highly stable interstitial compounds." EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Four-pound ingots of each of the following alloys were vacuum-melted in zirconia crucibles: Fe-1, 5, 10, 25 at. pct Co, and Fe-1, 4, 10, 20 at. pct V. An ingot of unalloyed iron from the same original stock as that used for the alloy was remelted under similar conditions to eliminate variations in interstitial content arising from differing thermal histories. Chemical analyses of the iron, cobalt, and vanadium melt stock are listed in Table I. All ingots were rolled and swaged, commencing at 850°C, to 1/4-in.-diameter bar. The bars were then annealed at 850°C for 1 hr (except that the 10 and 20 pct V alloys were heated for 2 hr) to give a uniform equiaxed grain size of about 0.05 mm. Tensile samples of 0.125 in. diameter by 0.8 in. gage length were utilized for studies of the ductile to brittle transition. A second set of tensile samples were utilized for microstrain experiments in which strain sensitivity of 1 x 10"6 was achieved by a capacitance method.3 Cylindrical compression samples 0.250 in. diameter by 0.4 in. long also were prepared to study the influence of composition on the macroscopic yield stress, and for metallographic analyses of defor-

Jan 1, 1965

By E. Miller, J. M. Eldridge, K. L. Komarek

The liquidus curve of the Mg-Pb system was accurately redetermined. The compound Mg2Pb decomposes peritectically at 538.2° ± 0.3°C to liquid and to a compound p&apos; which melts congruently at 35.0 at. pct Pb and 549.0° ± 0.3°C. The solidus curve of ß&apos; was determined. X-ray diffraction studies indicate that 4&apos; has an orthorhombic structure. Activity values of magnesium calculated from the phase diagram agree with those published in the literature. EXPERIMENTAL thermodynamic properties of binary metallic systems have to be consistent with values calculated from the phase diagram. In systems forming intermetallic compounds the shape of the liquidus curve near a compound is determined by the thermodynamic properties of the coexisting solid and liquid phases. Hauffe and Wagner&apos; neglected the temperature dependence of the chemical potentials and obtained the potential differences of the components of the liquid alloys, relative to stoichiometric liquid. Their calculations were based on the liquidus curve and on the heat of fusion of the compound, and were only valid near the congruent melting point. Steiner, Miller, and Komarek2 developed equations which account for the temperature dependence and obtained the chemical potentials of liquid Mg-Sn alloys over the entire phase diagram from the liquidus and solidus curves and from enthalpy values with the pure components as the standard states. The Mg-Pb phase diagram has been studied by several investigators whose results have been compiled and critically evaluated by Hansen.3 Although the liquidus curve was poorly defined, the general features of the diagram, i.e., one congruent melting compound, Mg2Pb, of essentially stoichiometric composition, two eutectics, and limited terminal solid solubilities, seemed to be suitable for a similar thermodynamic analysis. A careful redeter-mination of the liquidus by thermal analysis revealed, however, the existence of another compound. The liquidus curve between the two eutectics was precisely delineated and the structure and solidus curve of the new compound were investigated. The revised phase diagram was thermodynamic ally analyzed to evaluate the activity of magnesium in the liquid alloys. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The magnesium metal (Dominion Magnesium Ltd., Toronto, Canada) had a purity of 99.99+ pct; lead (American Smelting and Refining Co.) contained 99.999 pct Pb. Most experiments were carried out in graphite crucibles. Several experiments were made in high-purity alumina (Triangle R.R., Mor-ganite, Inc.) and in Armco iron crucibles to test the inertness of the graphite crucibles. Chemical analysis of magnesium and detailed description of the procedure for thermal analysis have been given previously. For the determination of the solidus curve of the compounds, specimens of initial composition Mg2Pb were equilibrated in a closed isothermal system with magnesium vapor. The source of the magnesium vapor was an alloy which had a gross composition lying in the 0&apos; + L field at the temperature of equilibration. As equilibrium was approached, the specimens lost magnesium to the two-phase reservoir thereby lowering the activity of magnesium in the specimens until activity and composition equaled that of the ß&apos;/ß&apos; + L boundary. Crucibles (1.9 cm ID by 2.2 cm OD by 4.1 cm high) and tightly fitting lids were machined from a molybdenum rod; small, shallow trays were fashioned from thin (0.005 in.) molybdenum sheet, and all the molybdenum components were degreased in hot carbon tetrachloride and then dried. The pieces were then degassed in vacuum at 950°C for about 6 hr. The two-phase alloy was placed at the bottom of the crucible and small specimens of the Mg2Pb compound, weighed on an analytical balance, were placed in two molybdenum trays above the two-phase alloy. The crucible was closed by forcing its lid on and then inserted in a titanium crucible. This crucible was evacuated, flushed twice with argon, and welded under argon. The specimens were equilibrated for about 1 week in a resistance furnace regulated by a Celectray controller, and the runs were terminated by water quenching. The specimens were again weighed and the equilibrium compositions were calculated on the basis that the weight losses were solely due to a loss of magnesium to the two-phase alloy. The structure of the B&apos; phase was investigated by the Debye-Scherrer X-ray diffraction technique. Selected ingots from thermal-analysis experiments containing about 35 at. pct Pb were re-melted, slowly cooled, and crushed in an argon-filled glovebox until the entire ingot passed through a 50-mesh sieve. The powder was thoroughly

Jan 1, 1965

By J. H. Jackson, P. D. Frost, C. H. Lorig, L. W. Eastwood, A. C. Loonam

It is well known that for equal weights of material, thin sections of the lighter structural alloys are more resistant to buckling under a compressive stress than thin sections of more dense material. Therefore, structural parts having the same resistance to buckling stresses are generally lightest when they are made of magnesium alloys. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the development of strong alloys having densities equal to or lower than that of magnesium and strength-weight ratios equivalent to those of the strongest aluminum alloys. The development of commercial magnesium-base alloys has been very successful, and their importance among materials in the structural field has been amply demonstrated. However, an even wider structural application of magnesium alloys might be effected if improvements could be made in the cold rollability and cold-forming characteristics. Such improvements, along with production of less directionality in properties. could be effected if the hexagonal close-packed lattice of present alloys could be replaced with a cubic lattice. In 1942, a project, having as its objective the improvement of some of the characteristics of commercial magnesium-base alloys, was initiated at Battelle Memorial Institute under the sponsorship of the Mathieson Chemical Corporation. At that time, one of the authors,* then Chief Metallurgist for the Mathieson Chemical Corporation, postulated that the addition of lithium to magnesium in sufficient quantities to change the crystal structure of the resultant alloy from a hexagonal to a body-centered cubic lattice should produce a magnesium-rich alloy which would have the desired improvements in cold-working characteristics with less directionality in properties. To test this view, a series of alloys was made and was found to have many of the attributes that were predicted. The view that magnesium-lithium alloys were of structural interest was also held by others. In 1943 and 1945, Dean and Andersonl,² obtained patents on magnesium-base alloys containing from about 1 to 10 pct lithium, from about 2 to about 10 pct manganese, and the balance substantially all magnesium; and on magnesium-base alloys containing from about 1 pct to about 10 pct lithium, from about 2 to about 10 pct manganese, from about 0.5 to 2 pct silver, and the balance substantially all magnesium. They noted that an alloy containing 83 pct magnesium, 10 pct manganese, 5 pct lithium, and 2 pct silver could be cold rolled by any of the usual methods and that this alloy was considerably harder and stronger than most other magnesium-base alloys heretofore available. In 1945, Hume-Rothery, et al.,3 predicted that magnesium-lithium base alloys should be soft and ductile and that such compositions, to which was added a third element for the purpose of producing a precipitation-hardening type of alloy, should be ductile, strong, and lighter than magnesium itself. Hume-Rothery investigated the binary magnesium-lithium and ternary magnesium-lithium-silver equilibrium relations and criticized the existing equilibrium diagrams. The binary magnesium-lithium equilibrium diagram has also been investigated by Grube, Von Zeppelin, and Bumm, Henry and Cordiano, Sal&apos;dau and Shamrai, Hof-mann,&apos; and Shamrai.8 The work of most investigators agreed with that of Grube, whose constitution diagram is shown in Fig 1. From the standpoint of development of structural alloys, the room-temperature equilibrium relations are of great interest. An examination of Fig 1 reveals that, from 0 to 5.7 pct lithium, the existing phase is alpha, which is a solution of lithium in hexagonal magnesium. The boundary between the alpha, and alpha plus beta regions, occurs at a Mg/Li of 16.5, corresponding to 5.7 pct lithium by weight. Between 5.7 pct and 10.3 pct lithium, there exists a mixture of the alpha phase (lithium dissolved in hexagonal magnesium) and the beta phase (magnesium dissolved in body-centered-cubic lithium). The boundary of the alpha plus beta and beta regions occurs at a Mg/Li of 8.7, corresponding to a lithium composition of 10.3 pct. Much of the work described here was directed toward obtaining an alloy made up of a large proportion, or entirely, of the body-centered-cubic beta structure. In his early work, Loonam found that specimens of lithium-bearing alloys were very malleable. Ingots of alloys prepared at that time were extruded to 3/8-in. diam bars, and the mechanical properties and the effects of heat treatment were then determined. These data are given in Table 1. The outstanding ductility of the alloys, combined with their moderately high strength, evoked considerable interest.

Jan 1, 1950

By J. H. Jackson, P. D. Frost, C. H. Lorig, L. W. Eastwood, A. C. Loonam

R. S. BUSK*—I wish first to congratulate the authors of this paper both for the work done and the presentation of that work. We have also been working on this type of alloy development, but any technical contribution I might have is better reserved for a separate paper which is planned in the near future. However, I would like to insert a word of caution. The alloys described in this paper are still very much in the laboratory stage. There still remains the quite vexing problem of property stability at slightly elevated temperatures which must be solved before the properties quoted can be effectively utilized. These alloys are extremely interesting and I am confident that the problems can be solved. However, the present existence of those problems must not be overlooked. I have one question with regard to the work-hardening test. If the work harden-ability of magnesium is compared to aluminum using a more standard test such as the Meyer Analysis the magnesium is found to work harden the more rapidly. Is the test developed for this work truly a work-hardening test or a measure of something else ? J. H. JACKSON (authors&apos; reply)—I am sure we appreciate the comments of Mr. Busk and we are pleased that the Dow Chemical Co. has also undertaken work in this field. It is a big field. We, of course, are continuing our research for the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, since, as clearly shown in the paper, the alloys are not completely developed. With regard to Mr. Busk&apos;s comments on the relative work-hardenability of aluminum and magnesium, the comparison we cited in the paper was intended merely to show that the results obtained by our method of testing were independent of the yield strength of the materials. We believe that this test method afforded a rough indication of the work-hardenability of the magnesium-lithium base alloys. It is not known whether this method affords greater or less accuracy than the Meyer Process, which is based upon a hardness-test impression. It is quite possible, since work-hardenability is a function of metal purity, that our results, obtained for commercial aluminum and magnesium, would be different if high-purity metals had been used. A. C. LOONAM—Lithium has some very interesting effects on magnesium. The paper showed that even small percentages increased ductility. These small amounts changed the axial ratio of the hexagonal magnesium from 1.624 in the pure metal to 1.606 in the saturated alpha solution, a value close to that of titanium, which has a ratio of 1.601. You will recall an article in the January, 1949, issue of the Journal of Metals where it was stated that titanium can be cold-rolled over 90 pct without any significant edge cracking. At 4.9 or 5 pct lithium, a change begins in crystal structure—from a hexagonal close packed to body centered cubic. There are two phases over a short range of lithium content, but at 10 pct the structure becomes completely cubic. The melting points of alloys in this range of lithium content are relatively high. Alloys even up to the six ratio have melting points above 500°C; this represents a relatively small reduction in melting point from pure magnesium itself. The magnesium-lithium system has a number of very interesting characteristics. This is only a very small part of the story. J. H. JACKSON—I would like to remind you that Mr. Loonam is one of the authors of this paper, and the fact is that this work is based on many of his ideas. I am sure we appreciate his additional comments in this discussion. R. LEITER*—I am interested in Fig 19 in which Mr. Jackson compares

Jan 1, 1950

By C. E. Armantrout, J. A. Rowland, D. F. Walsh

THE close-packed-hexagonal structure of mag-J- nesium is converted to a ductile and malleable body-centered-cubic lattice by the addition of lithium in excess of 10 pct. Further, the density of magnesium or magnesium-base alloys is decreased by additions of lithium. The practical possibilities of such alloys as a basis for uniquely light, malleable, and ductile structural materials were pointed out by Dean in 1944&apos; and by Hume-Rothery in 1945.2 It was apparent to these investigators, however, that more complex compositions would be required if strengths sufficient for structural applications were to be developed in these alloys. In a search for strengthening additions, various investigators w have examined a number of the ternary and more complex alloys containing magnesium and lithium. An investigation of the fundamental characteristics of these alloys was undertaken by the Bureau of Mines. The investigation was initiated with a study of the magnesium-rich corner of the equilibrium diagram for the ternary system, Mg-Li-Al. The following data from published investigations of Mg-Li-A1 alloys were available: 1—a description of isothermal sections at 20" and 400°C through the Mg-Li-A1 constitution diagram by F. I. Shamrai;&apos; 2—a diagram by P. D. Frost et al." showing approximate phase relationships at 700°F for a number of the Mg-Li-A1 alloys; and 3—diagrams showing the constitution at 500" and 700°F for the Mg-Li-A1 alloy system published by A. Jones et al.&apos; Where compositions and temperatures permit comparison, these diagrams show disagreement. The 700°F isotherms of Frost and Jones differ only in the placement of the phase boundaries. But Sham-rai&apos;s 400°C (752°F) isotherm shows a variation in phases as well as in phase boundaries. Although rigid comparison of these different isothermal sections might not be justifiable, it seems impossible to reconcile Shamrai&apos;s construction with the isotherms of Frost or Jones. The isothermal sections presented in this paper were prepared to determine compositions which might be suitable for age hardening and to develop the general slope and placement of the various phase boundaries in the magnesium-rich corner of the diagram. Sections at 375", 200°, and 100°C were selected for investigation. In constructing these sections, the solubility of aluminum in magnesium, as reported by W. L. Fink and L. A. Willey Vn 1948, was used at the binary Mg-A1 boundary and the solubility of lithium in magnesium was obtained from the equilibrium diagram for that system as reported by G. F. Sager and B. J. Nelson" in the same year. The solubility of magnesium in lithium was determined experimentally and conforms in general to data reported by P. Saldau and F. Shamrai." Parameters for AlLi and MgI7A1, were taken from American Society for Testing Materials X-ray diffraction data cards. Experimental Procedures Although the isothermal sections presented in this paper are not unusually complex, the experimental techniques involved in their construction are made extremely difficult by the relatively high vapor pressure of lithium and the great chemical activity of both magnesium and lithium. Because of these characteristics, which make precise control of the composition of equilibrium-treated filings practically impossible, the disappearing phase method was used in preference to the parametric method in conjunction with metallographic studies. The alloys used in this investigation were melted and cast in an atmosphere of helium using a tilting-type furnace which enclosed a steel crucible and mold in a single unit. Each portion of the charge (500 to 600 g) was cleaned carefully just before placing it in the crucible; and the charge, crucible, and entire melting apparatus were evacuated and then washed with grade A helium while preheating to approximately 100°C. The alloys were melted and chill cast in an atmosphere of helium. Alloys prepared in this way were relatively free from inclusions and a fluxing treatment was considered unnecessary. The cylindrical ingots obtained were scalped and then reduced 96 pct in area by direct extrusion, yielding % in. diam rod. Sections of the rod, approximately 3 in. long, were given equilibrium heat treatments and then sampled for metallographic examination, X-ray diffraction study, and chemical analysis. The surface of each equilibrium-treated rod was machined to a depth sufficient to insure removal of contaminated material before samples for chemical analysis or X-ray diffraction study were obtained, and all decisions on microstructure were based on the examination of the central portion of the metallographic specimen. All specimens homogenized at 375°C were analyzed after this equilibrium heat treatment. When the composition of an alloy placed it in a critical area of the 200" or 100°C isothermal section, a check chemical analysis was made on a sample taken from the alloy specimen as-heat-treated at the particular temperature. Standard chemical procedures of gravimetric analysis were used in the determination of magnesium and aluminum; lithium, potassium, and sodium were determined by flame photometer methods

Jan 1, 1956

By H. A. Wilhelm, P. Chiotti, G. A. Tracy

A summary of analytical, X-ray, thermal, and metallographic data obtained in the study of the Mg-U system is presented. No intermetallic compounds are formed by these two elements, and their mutual solubility is limited at temperatures up to 1255°C. The compositions of the liquids which coexist at 1135°C under a pressure of 3 atm are 0.14*0.05 wt pet U in magnesium, and 0.004 wt pet Mg in uranium. The solubility of uranium in magnesium decreases to 0.0510.03 wt pet at 675OC, and to about 0.0005 wt pet at 650°C. Due to the reactivity of both uranium and magnesium toward crucible materials, the choice of a suitable crucible presented a problem. Crucibles made from high purity magnesia to which 10 wt pet MgF2 was added to reduce porosity proved to be satisfactory. Some observations made with the use of other crucibles are given. THIS investigation was made to establish the phase diagram for the Mg-U system. Ahmann,&apos; formerly of the Ames Laboratory, did some work on the system. He used several methods in an attempt to prepare Mg-U alloys. One of the methods involved the reduction of UF, with a large excess of magnesium. In these experiments, the magnesium wet the surface of the uranium, but there was no evidence for compound formation. The maximum solubility of magnesium in uranium was indicated to be 0.01 wt pet. In another set of experiments, uranium chips as well as uranium powder were heated in contact with molten magnesium in a graphite crucible for periods of time up to 48 hr. A reaction layer was found at the Mg-U interface in several instances. X-ray analysis of the layer material showed the presence of UC and some additional unidentified lines which were interpreted as indicating the possibility of an intermetallic compound of uranium and magnesium. These studies indicated the maximum content of magnesium in uranium to be 0.043 wt pet. One sample of magnesium which had been heated at 1025°C in contact with excess uranium was found by chemical analysis to contain 0.275 wt pet U. Rules, based on empirical or semi theoretical considerations, which attempt to predict the alloying behavior of metals have been presented in the literature. Although these rules are not infallible, they nevertheless serve as useful guides. Using them, several generalizations can be made concerning the Mg-U system. According to Hume-Rothery&apos;s&apos; atomic

Jan 1, 1957