Temperature and time dependent structure of the molten Ni81P19 alloy by neutron diffraction

The temperature and time dependent structure of molten NiP alloy of eutectic composition has been studied by neutron diffraction. Ni particles were found to exist in the melt at temperatures at least up to about 150 degrees above liquidus. The amount varies reversibly as temperature increases but decays slowly with time. Remarkably, particles still exist even after that the melt has been kept more than 30 h at different temperatures in the molten state. The static structure factor and the pair distribution function obtained at 1050 °C are presented.