Re: alloys

[jmclean@chem.ucsd.edu (James Mclean)]

Dr P Barker says:
> In materials science you can get an effect of
> cocrystallization where instead of getting a random
> "solid solution" all the atoms of one element in the alloy
> will occupy a particular lattice site (eg the centre in
> body centred cubic).  This changes the crystal structure
> and (I think) is known as a "reaction".  I have a feeling 
> the copper/gold alloys may do this under the right conditions.
I don't know what constitutes a "reaction", but you are right about copper
and gold.  'Cu 3 Au' and 'Au 3 Cu' both have face centered cubic structure
with one of the cubic sublatices being all one element, and the other 3
cubic sublatices being the other.

-- 
--James McLean
jmclean@chem.ucsd.edu
post doc
UCSD