Vapor pressure measurements of LaGd alloys

Abstract

The vapor pressures of La(g) and Gd(g) over La xGd 1− x alloys ( x = 0.00, 0.12, 0.22, 0.45, 0.70, 0.74, 0.85, 1.00) were measured with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with a tungsten Knudsen cell over the temperature range 1588 to 1797 K. The chemical activities of lanthanum and gadolinium in the alloys were determined by comparing the vapor pressures of La(g) and Gd(g) over the alloys with those over the pure metals. The chemical activities, thus obtained, showed positive deviations from Raoult's law over the entire compositional range. The interatomic force between gadolinium and lanthanum was thought to be repulsive. The partial molar Gibbs free energy and the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of formation were calculated from the activity values.