The thermal and magnetic properties of some transition element alloys

Abstract

Results of measurements of the magnetic susceptibilities of a series of binary alloys are presented. The systems investigated were Pd-Rh, Pt-Ir and Pt-Au. Certain similarities between the alloys of palladium alloyed with silver or rhodium and those of platinum alloyed with gold or iridium are apparent. In addition, the specific heats of palladium-rhodium and platinum-gold alloys have been measured in the liquid helium temperature range and the electronic heats and Debye temperatures computed. The overall picture presented by the results is consistent with the existence of an unfilleddband, having approximately 0.6 holes per atom both for palladium and platinum, which may be filled by alloying with the element of next highest atomic number. Recent work has shown, however, that it is unlikely that the band shape is unchanged on alloying and therefore the calculation by which the number of holes is obtained is probably invalid.