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    The Rhodium: Structure

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    Waskito Budiawan
    The document discusses an investigation into the crystal structure of high-purity rhodium. It finds that: 1) Pure rhodium has a face-centered cubic crystal structure from room temperature to at least 1600°C, as shown through X-ray diffraction and electrical conductivity measurements. 2) Unlike other face-centered cubic metals, pure rhodium is initially very soft but work-hardens rapidly even at room temperature. 3) The mechanism of plastic deformation in rhodium is likely different than in other face-centered cubic metals, leading to its greater difficulty in working. Further experiments are needed to define the operative slip system.

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    The Rhodium: Structure

    Uploaded by

    Waskito Budiawan
    54 views3 pages
    The document discusses an investigation into the crystal structure of high-purity rhodium. It finds that: 1) Pure rhodium has a face-centered cubic crystal structure from room temperature to at least 1600°C, as shown through X-ray diffraction and electrical conductivity measurements. 2) Unlike other face-centered cubic metals, pure rhodium is initially very soft but work-hardens rapidly even at room temperature. 3) The mechanism of plastic deformation in rhodium is likely different than in other face-centered cubic metals, leading to its greater difficulty in working. Further experiments are needed to define the operative slip system.

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    Refinery of PGM

    Original Title

    pmr-v2-i2-061-063

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    The document discusses an investigation into the crystal structure of high-purity rhodium. It finds that: 1) Pure rhodium has a face-centered cubic crystal structure from room temperature to at least 1600°C, as shown through X-ray diffraction and electrical conductivity measurements. 2) Unlike other face-centered cubic metals, pure rhodium is initially very soft but work-hardens rapidly even at room temperature. 3) The mechanism of plastic deformation in rhodium is likely different than in other face-centered cubic metals, leading to its greater difficulty in working. Further experiments are needed to define the operative slip system.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    54 views3 pages

    The Rhodium: Structure

    Uploaded by

    Waskito Budiawan
    The document discusses an investigation into the crystal structure of high-purity rhodium. It finds that: 1) Pure rhodium has a face-centered cubic crystal structure from room temperature to at least 1600°C, as shown through X-ray diffraction and electrical conductivity measurements. 2) Unlike other face-centered cubic metals, pure rhodium is initially very soft but work-hardens rapidly even at room temperature. 3) The mechanism of plastic deformation in rhodium is likely different than in other face-centered cubic metals, leading to its greater difficulty in working. Further experiments are needed to define the operative slip system.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 3

    The Structure of Rhodium

    By E. S. Bale, A.I.M.

    This note, a communication from the Johnson Matthey Research Labora-


    tories, records an investigation into the crystal structure of high-purity
    rhodium carried out in an attempt to understand why this metal should
    present such dificulties i n working

    It is well known that rhodium, although intermediate anneals to sheet 0.060 inch in
    having a face-centred cubic crystal structure, thickness, from which a tensile specimen was
    is much more difficult to work than most other prepared.
    metals of similar structure such as copper, This specimen was annealed in high vacuum
    silver, gold, platinum or palladium. It has and tested using an extensometer capable of
    been suggested that this difficulty might be measuring to O.OOOOI inch. The applied load
    due to the presence of impurities, while was increased and no elastic region was
    another suggestion which has been put for- observed, the stress-strain diagram being a
    ward is that a transformation takes place to smooth curve from the origin. The mech-
    some other crystal form (I, 2 ) . anical properties obtained from this test are
    The present investigation was therefore shown in the table.
    undertaken into the behaviour of pure
    rhodium towards external stresses and into Mechanical Properties of Pure
    the possibility of a transformation taking Rhodium
    place.
    To obviate any anomalous behaviour due Proof stress (0.01:h), tons per sq.
    to the presence of foreign elements a specially inch .. .. .. .. 3.8
    prepared batch of chloropentammine rhodium Proof stress (0.1 yo),tons per sq. inch 4.6
    dichloride was taken and after several recrystal- Ultimate tensile strength, tons
    lisations a sample of rhodium oxide was per sq. inch . . . . .. 30.6
    obtained which gave the spectrographic Elongation, per cent, on 2 in. , . 6.5
    analysis shown below. Modulus of elasticity, pounds per
    Element Per cent sq. inch .. .. .. .. 4 1 . 2 ~loB
    cu 0.0002 Vickers hardness .. .. I10
    Fe 0.0001
    M g 0.0001
    Si 0.oOoI
    Ca 0.0002 Another sample of the pure rhodium was
    K 0.OooI used to obtain a work hardening curve, which
    Na 0.0002
    showed that the hardness increased to over
    The following elements were not detected: 300 VPN with about 15 per cent reduction by
    Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Ir, Li, Mn,
    Mo, Os, Pb, Pd, Pt, Rb, Ru, Sb, Sn, Sr, Te, rolling. It was apparent from these tests that
    Ti, V, W, Zn, Zr. pure annealed rhodium is initially very soft,
    By reduction of this oxide, rhodium con- but that its rate of work-hardening is very
    taining less than 10 parts per million of rapid at room temperature.
    metallic impurities was produced. As mentioned earlier, there seemed no
    A sample of this metal was pressed, sintered reason why pure rhodium should behave in
    in oxygen-free hydrogen and cold rolled with this manner as it has a face-centred cubic

    Platinum Metals Rev., 1958, 2 , (21, 61-63 61


    3 900

    0 4
    I 3 000

    lx
    W
    3 060
    I
    <
    LL
    2 3840
    W

    5u
    -I
    3 820
    Fig. 1 Bffert of temnpera-
    ture o n the lattice para-
    3 aoo meter of rhodium
    500 1000 1500
    TEMPERATURE OC

    structure, but its behaviour towards mechani- high temperature electrical conductivity
    cal working seemed like that of a material measurements were made during heating to
    with a more complex structure. 1450°C and cooling to room temperature.
    In order to investigate the possibility that Fig. 2 shows the curve obtained from these
    an allotropic transformation occurred with measurements and it can be seen that no
    increasing temperature, an apparatus was significant change of shape or hysteresis
    constructed by which high temperature occurs. These two experiments provided sub-
    X-ray diffraction photographs could be stantial evidence that the crystal structure of
    obtained and examples of the crystal structure rhodium is face-centred cubic between room
    of rhodium were determined at temperatures temperature and say 15ooOC.
    up to 1600°C. Fig. I shows the relationship It follows, therefore, that either rhodium is
    between the diffraction spacing and tempera- susceptible to the presence of impurity atoms
    ture, and as this relationship is a straight line of an order unknown in any other face-centred
    it can be concluded that rhodium has a face- cubic metal, or that the mechanism of its
    centred cubic crystal structure over the range plastic behaviour is unlike that of metals with
    from room temperature to 1600'C. a similar crystal structure.
    To confirm this result and to ensure that It appears most likely, therefore, from the
    the atomic packing was consistently perfect, present work that pure rhodium has an intrin-

    Fig. 2 Effect of tempera-


    ture on the electrical re-
    sistivity of rhodium
    ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY - MICROHMS PER C M CUBE

    Platinum Metals Rev., 1958, 2 , (21, 62


    sically high rate of work-hardening and that based on a study of slip line formation com-
    this is due to a different mechanism of slip bined with a suitable X-ray diffraction tech-
    processes than occur in other face-centred nique would be necessary to define the opera-
    cubic metals. Further experimental work tive slip system.

    References
    I F. M. Jaeger and J. E. Zanstra . . Proc. K . Akad. Wet. Amsterdam, 1931, 34, 15
    2 A. A. Rudnitsky, R. S. Polyakova and Izvest. Sekt. Platiny (Akad. Nauk SSSR), 1955, 29,
    I. L. Tyurin . . .. .. . . 185-189; 190-196

    Vacuum Casting Uranium Reactor Fuel Elements


    TEMPERATURE CONTROL WITH PLATINUM THERMOCOUPLES
    Among the final operations at the Spring- group of high-frequency vacuum furnaces.
    fields Works of the United Kingdom Atomic These are of the stationary-crucible, bottom-
    Energy Authority is the vacuum casting of pouring type, the base of the crucible being
    high-purity uranium into rods for use as pierced by a pouring hole, closed during
    reactor fuel elements. melting by a graphite or alumina bung.
    The Springfields Works undertakes the For successful casting the pouring tempera-
    preparation of almost all the uranium refined ture is critical, and is controlled by means of
    in Britain, starting from the ore. After a platinum : rhodium-platinum thermocouples
    series of chemical treatments, uranium tetra- led in through the top of each furnace.
    fluoride is reduced with metallic calcium by When correct pouring temperature has been
    firing in a reduction mould. attained, the bung is removed by means of a
    T o produce the reactor fuel elements in graphite rod and a system of bell cranks, push
    the required shape and size, and also to rods and levers, and the molten uranium runs
    remove metallic and non-metallic impurities, through a launder into the moulds stationed
    the uranium is then melted and cast in a in the lower part of the furnace.

    A battery of three high-


    frequency vacuum cast-
    ing furnaces for the
    production of uranium
    reuctor fuel elements at
    the Springjelds F’orks
    of the Atomic Energy
    ;4uthority. Tempera-
    ture control during melt-
    ing and casting the
    uranium is effected by
    means of platinum:
    rhodium-pl utinum
    thermocouples

    Platinum Metals Rev., 1958, 2 , (21, 63-63 63

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