The absolute thermoelectric powers of some liquid alloys

Abstract

Abstract Measurements of the absolute thermoelectric powers of several liquid alloys as a function of temperature and composition are reported. The alloys Hg-In and Hg-Tl were studied. In both cases the absolute thermoelectric powers show a minimum when plotted against concentration at low concentrations. The system Hg-Na was measured over the range 0 at. % to 10 at. % Na. The absolute thermoelectric power shows a very sharp minimum at about 5.0 at. % Na. This minimum becomes sharper with increasing temperature. The effect is more marked in this case than in the previous two cases. Measurements of absolute thermoelectric power of the alloys of cadmium in mercury and gold in mercury show that it becomes less negative as the metals are added to mercury. This is the opposite effect to that found in the previous two alloys. Measurements made on the Cd-In system show no minimum. The results on these alloys are discussed with relation to Mott's theory for liquid mercury (Mott 1966).