Differential thermal analysis and solution growth of intermetallic compounds

To obtain single crystals by solution growth, an exposed primary solidification surface in the appropriate, but often unknown, equilibrium alloy phase diagram is required. Furthermore, an appropriate crucible material is needed, necessary to hold the molten alloy during growth, without being attacked by it. Recently, we have used the comparison of realistic simulations with experimental differential thermal analysis (DTA) curves to address both these problems. We have found: 1) complex DTA curves can be interpreted to determine an appropriate heat treatment and starting composition for solution growth, without having to determine the underlying phase diagrams in detail. 2) DTA can facilitate identification of appropriate crucible materials. DTA can thus be used to make the procedure to obtain single crystals of a desired phase by solution growth more efficient. We will use some of the systems for which we have recently obtained single-crystalline samples using the combination of DTA and solution growth as examples. These systems are TbAl, Pr$_7$Ni$_2$Si$_5$, and YMn$_4$Al$_8$.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

Magnetic and thermal properties of the S = 1/2 zig-zag spin-chain compound In2VO5

Static magnetic susceptibility \chi, ac susceptibility \chi_{ac} and specific heat C versus temperature T measurements on polycrystalline samples of In2VO5 and \chi and C versus T measurements on the isostructural, nonmagnetic compound In2TiO5 are reported. A Curie-Wiess fit to the \chi(T) data above 175 K for In2VO5 indicates ferromagnetic exchange between V^{4+} (S = 1/2) moments. Below 150 K the \chi(T) data deviate from the Curie-Weiss behavior but there is no signature of any long range magnetic order down to 1.8 K. There is a cusp at 2.8 K in the zero field cooled (ZFC) \chi(T) data measured in a magnetic field of 100 Oe and the ZFC and field cooled (FC) data show a bifurcation below this temperature. The frequency dependence of the \chi_{ac}(T) data indicate that below 3 K the system is in a spin-glass state. The difference \Delta C between the heat capacity of In2VO5 and In2TiO5 shows a broad anomaly peaked at 130 K. The entropy upto 300 K is more than what is expected for S = 1/2 moments. The anomaly in \Delta C and the extra entropy suggests that there may be a structural change below 130 K in In2VO5.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

A small sealed Ta crucible for thermal analysis of volatile metallic samples

Differential thermal analysis on metallic alloys containing volatile elements can be highly problematic. Here we show how measurements can be performed in commercial, small-sample, equipment without modification. This is achieved by using a sealed Ta crucible, easily fabricated from Ta tubing and sealed in a standard arc furnace. The crucible performance is demonstrated by measurements on a mixture of Mg and MgB$_2$, after heating up to 1470$^{\circ}{\rm C}$. We also show data, measured on an alloy with composition Gd$_{40}$Mg$_{60}$, that clearly shows both the liquidus and a peritectic, and is consistent with published phase diagram data