title: Direct evidence for reversible diffusional phase change in nanometer-sized alloy particles.
abstract: Solid solubility in isolated nanometer-sized particles has been studied by in situ transmission electron microscopy using alloy particles in the Pb-Sn binary system. In approximately 17-nm-sized particles of a lead-56 at. % Sn solid solution, a phase change from a single phase of the lead solid solution to two phases, a lead solid solution and a tin-solid solution, takes place when the temperature is reduced from 110 degrees C to room temperature (RT). Furthermore, it is confirmed that this phase change could occur rather reversibly when the temperature is cyclically changed between 110 degrees C and RT. This observation provides direct evidence for reversible diffusional phase change in nanometer-sized alloy particles. It seems safe to conclude that the solubility limit of tin in lead is higher than 56 at. % at 110 degrees C, which is almost 5 times higher than the solubility limit of tin in bulk lead (i.e., 10 at. %).
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Ultra-High Voltage Electron Microscopy, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. jglee@uhvem.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori