Surface tension of liquid mixtures and metal alloys. Positive and negative temperature coefficients in alloys with remarkably high surface density

Abstract

The effect of temperature on the surface tension is examined in liquid alloys that combine a positive or negative temperature coefficient with gravity limitation of the surface concentration in the surface-active metal constituent. This is a restriction that is likely to occur in alloys where the metal with lower surface tension is much denser than the other component. Since there is a surface tension increase due to diminished segregation, the resultant temperature coefficient will depend on the superposition of two independent effects. Working in the framework of Butler’s thermodynamics for ideal surface phases, equations and methods of analysis are obtained to describe both effects. These developments are illustrated with alloys where the surface density is likely to attain the bulk density at certain compositions, namely the Al–Zn alloys that exhibits a negative temperature coefficient and the Sn–Bi, Ga–Bi, Ga-Pb and Cu–Pb alloys that present composition ranges with positive temperature coefficients. The specific concave down dγ/dT curves of liquid alloys are theoretically predicted. Furthermore, good estimates are obtained for systems with positive and negative temperature coefficients, except within a 50 K interval of phase transitions, or for systems showing large deviations from ideal behaviour.