What does intermetallic mean?
Definition of intermetallic : composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal especially : being an alloy having a characteristic crystal structure and usually a definite composition intermetallic compound.
What is meant by intermetallic compounds?
intermetallic compound, any of a class of substances composed of definite proportions of two or more elemental metals, rather than continuously variable proportions (as in solid solutions). The crystal structures and the properties of intermetallic compounds often differ markedly from those of their constituents.
What are intermetallic compounds examples?
Examples
- Magnetic materials e.g. alnico, sendust, Permendur, FeCo, Terfenol-D.
- Superconductors e.g. A15 phases, niobium-tin.
- Hydrogen storage e.g. AB5 compounds (nickel metal hydride batteries)
- Shape memory alloys e.g. Cu-Al-Ni (alloys of Cu3Al and nickel), Nitinol (NiTi)
- Coating materials e.g. NiAl.
What is an intermetallic compound and what are its properties?
Intermetallic compounds are defined as solid phases involving two or more metallic or semimetallic elements with an ordered structure and often a well-defined and fixed stoichiometry [1–3].
How does an intermetallic compound exist on the phase diagram?
Intermetallic Compound On a binary phase diagram, regions associated by these compounds are bounded by two phase zones. The range of compositions allowed for the intermetallic is narrow, its width (in composition) indicating the departure from stoichiometry that can occur while maintaining the same crystal structure.
What is the difference between alloys and intermetallic compounds?
The key difference between alloy and intermetallic compound is that alloys contain metallic components and nonmetallic components, whereas intermetallic compounds contain metallic or semi-metallic components. An alloy is a metallic substance that contains at least one metal element along with other elements.
How do intermetallic compounds form?
Intermetallic compounds are formed from electropositive and electronegative metals which chemically bond to form compounds with a specific composition and crystalline structure.
Are intermetallic compounds solid solutions?
Solid solutions are classified into two category one is substitutional and the other one is interstitial. For example carbon in iron is a interstitial solid solution. Intermetallic compounds are special type of substitutional solid solution with with higher amount solute element.
How are metallic bonds produced in intermetallic compounds?
Metallic bonds predominate in such compounds. Intermetallic compounds are produced by direct reaction of their components upon heating or by double decomposition reactions.
What kind of alloy is an intermetallic compound?
Intermetallic compounds are ordered alloys of two or more metals, in definite stoichiometry.
Which is excluded from the definition of intermetallics?
Alloys, which are a homogeneous mixture of metals, and interstitial compounds such as the carbides and nitrides are excluded under this definition. However interstitial intermetallic compounds are included as are alloys of intermetallic compounds with a metal.
When was the term intermetallic compound first used?
Although the term “intermetallic compounds”, as it applies to solid phases, has been in use for many years, its introduction was regretted, for example by Hume-Rothery in 1955.