Single crystal growth of solid solutions from the Ga-Pd-Sn system for basic research in heterogeneous catalysis

Bader, Kristian; Dorner, Alicia and Gille, Peter (2020): Single crystal growth of solid solutions from the Ga-Pd-Sn system for basic research in heterogeneous catalysis. In: Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 532, 125401

Abstract

Intermetallic compounds in the binary Ga-Pd system have proved to be superior as catalysts in the semi-hydrogenation of acetylene. Partial substitution of Ga by Sn even increases the activity. In order to study elementary processes of catalytic reactions, well-oriented surfaces of single-crystalline slaps are needed, i.e. single crystal growth is a prerequisite. For the first time, solid/liquid equilibria including the solid solutions Ga1-xSnxPd and Ga1-xSnxPd2 were studied. Based on these findings single crystal growth of the two solid solution series succeeded using the Czochralski method from (Ga,Sn)-rich solutions. Inclusion-free single crystals of a few cm(3) in size could be obtained. Due to different crystal structures of the end members, Sn substitution in Ga1-xSnxPd is restricted to x approximate to 0.15 in the cubic phase. Although a complete solid solution range for Ga(1-x)Sn(x)Pd2 has been reported by Armbruster et al. (2018), mixed crystals of the 1:2 phase can be grown from a native ternary melt only up to approx. x = 0.54 due to missing solid/liquid equilibria at a higher ratio of Sn substitution for Ga.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Geosciences > Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Subjects: 500 Science > 550 Earth sciences and geology
• ISSN: 0022-0248
• Language: English