The copper-rich side of the pseudobinary systems CaCu 1− xM x (M ≡ Co, Ni, Cd, Sn, As, Sb) and SrCu 1− xCd x

Abstract

The substitution of copper by another element in the system SrCu 1− x Cd x and CaCu 1− x M x , where M ≡ Co, Ni, Cd, Sn, As or Sb, was studied by metallographic and X-ray methods. In all cases a limited range of homogeneity results with x ⩽ 0.1. In some CaCu 1− x M x systems (M ≡ Co, As or Sb) only the stacking variant of the FeB- and CrB-type structures, observed for the β-CaCu phase, appears. In the remaining systems (M ≡ Ni, Cd or Sn) other stacking variants are also found. The factors likely to influence the homogeneity range are discussed. All binary and pseudobinary compounds crystallizing with these stacking variants can be divided into two separate families, one formed by the phases containing rare earths, and the other by phases containing calcium, strontium, barium and thorium.