Influence of alloying effect on Kβ/Kα X-ray intensity ratios of V and Ni in V xNi 1− x alloys

Abstract

Kβ/Kα X-ray intensity ratios of V and Ni in V x Ni 1− x alloys for different compositions x ( x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20, 0.35, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00) have been measured following excitation by 59.54 keV γ-rays from a 200 mCi 241Am point-source. The experimental data indicate deviations of Kβ/Kα intensity ratios for V and Ni in certain alloy compositions from the corresponding ratios for pure metals. These deviations of Kβ/Kα intensity ratios have been interpreted using the results of multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock (MCDF) calculations for various valence electronic configurations. Our analysis indicates that the relative changes of the number of 3d electrons (i.e. the changes divided by the number of 3d electrons for pure metals) for V and Ni seem to be very similar if considered as functions of their own concentrations. Comparison (for different x) of the change of the number of 3d electrons of V with appropriately rescaled change of the number of 3d electrons of Ni indicates that the transfer of 3d electrons between V and Ni seems to explain the observed change of the valence electronic configurations of V and Ni in V x Ni 1− x alloys, although other processes, like the rearrangement of electrons between 3d and (4s, 4p) states, cannot be excluded as being responsible for this change. It is very interesting that the presumed transfer of 3d electrons is from atoms of an element (V or Ni) of a higher concentration to atoms of an element of a lower concentration.