Sedimentation of substitutional solute atoms in intermetallic compound of Bi-Pb system under ultra-strong gravitational field

Ono, Masao ; Huang, X.*; Kinoshita, Takahiro*; Ueno, Hideto*; Osakabe, Toyotaka ; Mashimo, Tsutomu

Ultra-strong gravitational field can induce sedimentation of even atoms in condensed matter. We had realized sedimentation of substitutional solute atoms in some miscible alloys. How about in the other alloys? So, In this study, the ultra-centrifuge experiments were performed on an intermetallic compound of Bi-Pb system (BiPb) by changing time duration of experiment time (experimental conditions; maximum centrifugal force: 1.010g level, temperature: 130-150 C, duration: 30-150h, state: solid). Composition changes were observed in the centrifuged samples. And, it was found that the Bi phase appeared from starting state of BiPb around the weak gravitational field region of the sample. These results showed that sedimentation of substitutional solute atoms occurred, and induced the structure change in intermetallic compounds.