A time-resolved X-ray powder diffraction method to trace the decomposition of PdBysolid solutions

Abstract

A powder diffraction method is presented for reconstructing probability density functions for the composition, p(y), of a PdBy solid solution material with composition (y)- dependent lattice parameter from the simultaneous analysis of all reflections in the powder diffraction patterns. The method is applied to the decomposition of a solid solution in a miscibility gap: two 'boundary phases' appear which gradually approach but don't attain fully the compositions of the expected equilibrium phases whereas a significant amount of material with intermediate compositions remains.