Title: The systems bismuth-tellurium and antimony-tellurium and the synthesis of the minerals hedleyite and wehrlite
Abstract: The synthesis of alloys in the systems Bi-Te and Sb-Te has been investigated using a technique in which the component elements are simultaneously heated and agitated in glass or silica capsules. Examination of X-ray powder diffraction patterns of alloys in the Bi-Te system shows that there is a range of solid solubility, designated the β-phase, between the composition limits of 32 and 60 at. per cent Te. X-ray diffraction data obtained for the minerals hedleyite and wehrlite show that these are naturally occurring β-phases with Te contents of about 30 and 52 at. per cent respectively. In the Sb-Te system, the range of solid solubility, designated the δ-phase, extends from 11 to 60 at. per cent Te. With the exception of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 (the former is found in nature as the mineral tellurbismuth), the β- and δ-phases are relatively unstable and disproportionate when heated above their solidus temperatures. An attempt has been made to account for the changes in cell dimensions of the β- and δ-phase alloys, observed with decreasing Te content, in terms of the atomic configurations in the crystal structures of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 and the derivative solid solutions. Phase equilibrium diagrams for the two systems are given.
Publication Year: 1962
Publication Date: 1962-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 71
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