Time-differential perturbed angular-correlation-technique studies of internal oxidation of impurities in silver

Abstract

The first quantitative results on internal oxidation of impurities in a noble-metal host, using the time-differential perturbed angular-correlation technique, are reported here. The system studied was indium-silver, with a few ppm of indium. The existence of a well-defined oxidation front is found for this highly dilute alloy. The kinetics of oxidation were determined for oxidating temperatures of 400 and 500\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. Our results are in good agreement with a parabolic dependence of the depth of the internal oxidation front on the elapsed oxidation time. No unique indium-oxygen configurations were found in the range 280-900\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C.