Anomalous Nernst effect dependence on composition in Fe100-X Rh X alloys

We studied the anomalous Nernst effect in CsCl-type Fe100-X Rh X (X = 45, 48, 50, 52, 54, 60) with a thickness of 50 nm deposited on a thermally oxidized Si substrate. Samples with X < 48 certainly have a ferromagnetic phase, exhibiting the anomalous Nernst effect. The composition dependence of the anomalous Nernst coefficient S yx agreed with the transverse thermoelectric conductivity α yx. |S yx | and |α yx | were maximized at X = 48, which has a ferromagnetic state close to the phase transition state. The maximization of |α yx | at X = 48 can be explained using band structure-based calculations , where |α yx | rapidly increases near the phase transition.

Stability of B2 compounds: Role of the M point phonons

Although many binary compounds have the B2 (CsCl-type) structure in the thermodynamic phase diagram, an origin of the structural stability is not understood well. Here, we focus on 416 compounds in the B2 structure extracted from the Materials Project, and study the dynamical stability of those compounds from first principles. We demonstrate that the B2 phase stability lies in whether the lowest frequency phonon at the M point in the Brillouin zone is endowed with a positive frequency. We show that the interatomic interactions up to the fourth nearest neighbor atoms are necessary for stabilizing such phonon modes, which should determine the minimum cutoff radius for constructing the interatomic potentials of binary compounds with guaranteed accuracy.

Cutting Edge of High-Entropy Alloy Superconductors from the Perspective of Materials Research

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are a new class of materials which are being energetically studied around the world. HEAs are characterized by a multicomponent alloy in which five or more elements randomly occupy a crystallographic site. The conventional HEA concept has developed into simple crystal structures such as face-centered-cubic (fcc), body-centered-cubic (bcc) and hexagonal-closed packing (hcp) structures. The highly atomic-disordered state produces many superior mechanical or thermal properties. Superconductivity has been one of the topics of focus in the field of HEAs since the discovery of the bcc HEA superconductor in 2014. A characteristic of superconductivity is robustness against atomic disorder or extremely high pressure. The materials research on HEA superconductors has just begun, and there are open possibilities for unexpectedly finding new phenomena. The present review updates the research status of HEA superconductors. We survey bcc and hcp HEA superconductors and discuss the simple material design. The concept of HEA is extended to materials possessing multiple crystallographic sites; thus, we also introduce multisite HEA superconductors with the CsCl-type, α-Mn-type, A15, NaCl-type, σ-phase and layered structures and discuss the materials research on multisite HEA superconductors. Finally, we present the new perspectives of eutectic HEA superconductors and gum metal HEA superconductors.

Ternary Aluminides of a New Homologous Series—CePt2Al2 and CePt3Al3: Crystal Structures and Thermal Properties

In the process of studying the Ce–Pt–Al system, we identified CePt2Al2 and CePt3Al3, two new ternary intermetallic compounds. CePt2Al2 aluminide undergoes a structural phase transition from a low-temperature orthorhombic modification (of its own structure type, Cmme, a = 5.84138(2) Å, b = 6.39099(3) Å, c = 10.11611(5) Å) to a high-temperature tetragonal modification (CaBe2Ge2 type, P4/nmm, a = 4.3637(9) Å, c = 10.0925(14) Å) at 280(1) °C. CePt3Al3 crystallizes with a new type of structure (Cmme, a = 6.36548(6) Å, b = 5.78301(6) Å, c = 13.36245(19) Å) built of structural units of low-temperature orthorhombic CePt2Al2-type and CsCl-type.

Palladiuum-based membranes for separation of high-purity hydrogen

In the present study, using the improved technology, high-quality vacuum-tight foils 10 – 20 µm in thickness were prepared from effective Pd – 6 wt. % In – 0.5 wt. % Ru, Pd – 6 wt. % Ru, Pd – 40 wt. % Cu palladium alloys. Using a combination of deformation and annealing modes, the Pd – 40 wt. % Cu alloy foil consisting of the ordered β-phase (97%) with the CsCl-type structure that exhibits the maximum hydrogen permeability in this system. The mechanical properties and hydrogen permeability of the prepared foils were studied and compared with those of alloy foils 50 µm thickness. The thermal concentration dilatation in hydrogen was studied at different temperatures. Data on the dilatation of palladium-based membranes are of primary importance for designing membrane filtering elements and selection of optimal conditions for their operation, since these data determine the operation life membranes. Based on the Pd – 6 wt. % In – 0.5 wt. % Ru alloy, the Pd – 6 wt. % In – 0.5 wt. % Ru – 1.25 wt. % Co alloy was developed; it is characterized by increased strength characteristics and lower α ↔ β hydride transition temperature.