Structure and superconductivity of metastable phases in liquid-quenched Zr-Rh alloys

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Using the liquid-quenching technique adapted to an arc furnace, Zr-Rh alloys containing 0–36 at.% Rh were rapidly quenched from the liquid state. Body-centered cubic solid solution of Zr is retained up to 17 at.% Rh beyond the maximum equilibrium solubility limit of 8 at.% Rh. Broad maxima in the x-ray and electron diffraction patterns, indicative of a noncrystalline structure, are obtained for alloys containing 18–27 at.% Rh. The noncrystalline phase shows a sharp superconducting transition at 4.1 K. The annealing behaviors of the metastable phases were investigated by continuous observations in the hot stage of an electron microscope and electrical resistivity measurements. The metastable phases transform to equilibrium phases on heating at temperatures above 500 °C and very fine structures are produced by the transformation.