Surface characteristics of two-component thallium–bismuth melts

Abstract

The surface tension of pure Tl and Bi, and two-component alloys of them over the range of volume concentrations and temperatures starting from the liquidus temperature up to 623 K are measured by the lying-drop method with strong control over the surface condition by means of Auger electron spectroscopy. The results from in situ measurements of the surface tensions of Tl and Bi with surfactant impurities, and for atomically pure surfaces and Tl–Bi solutions, are given. It is shown that surfaces are enriched by bismuth, the concentration of which grows along with temperature.