Molar volume, thermal expansion, and bulk modulus in liquid Fe-Ni alloys at 1 bar: Evidence for magnetic anomalies?

Abstract

New experimental data on the molar volume Ω, thermal expansion coefficient a, and ultrasonic sound velocity v p in liquid Fe-Ni systems at temperatures between melting and 1975 K are reported. The molar volume and thermal expansion data were acquired using a penetrating γ radiation method; the sound velocity data were obtained by ultrasonic interferometry. In the temperature range of this study, the molar volume Ω increases and the sound velocity v p decreases, both linearly with temperature. The adiabatic bulk modulus K s v p 2 /Ω of liquid Fe-Ni alloys is nearly independent of composition at Fe content greater than 65 wt%. The temperature derivative ∂K/∂T of both adiabatic and isothermal bulk modulus of pure liquid Fe decreases by approximately 50% upon being alloyed with 15 wt% Ni. The mixing behavior of thermodynamic and cohesive properties of liquid Fe-Ni is interpreted as resulting from the existence of disordered and localized magnetic states and correlations in the liquid state, i.e., well above the Curie temperature and extending from pure Fe into the Fe-Ni stability field. These magnetic contributions have strong mechanical effects on the structure in modifying the volume and elastic modulus by as much as 13% and 31%, respectively, in the case of pure liquid Fe. It is believed that the magnetic contribution, which is likely to be absent at core temperatures, should be removed from the measured 1-bar values of density and elastic moduli if these latter were to be used as precise anchoring points in high pressure-temperature EOS.