Institute of Metals Division - The Pressure-Temperature Diagram of Solid Thallium

Univariant equilibria between the Ibcc, IIhcp, and UIfee phases of thallium have been determined and indicate a triple point at 110°C and 37 kbars. Calculated II —I transformation curves are compared with the experimental. Transformation volumes and/or enthalpies are calculated and enthalpies are compared with available data. ThE triple point of solid thallium has been reported by Bridgman as 153°C and 38 kbar.' More recently, Jayaraman et at.2 have reported the triple point as near 115°C and 39 kbars. Meyerhoff and Smith,3 assuming the elevated-pressure modification of thallium is fcc, as Kaufman suggested,4 and that it is continuous with the room-temperature fcc phase in the Tl-In system, have used pressure data up to 5 kbars to predict the triple point at 162°C and 35.8 kbars. Piermarini and weir5 have indeed found the elevated-pressure phase to be fcc. The effect of variations of pressure and temperature in the IIhCp — Ibcc transformation in thallium have also been reported by werner6 and more recently by Ponyatovskii.7 The work reported here is part of an investigation of the effects of temperature and pressure on the Tl-In system. I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The onset and progress of transformation were determined by changes in resistance. A commercially available tetrahedral-type pressure apparatus was used. Specimens of 0.060 in. diam, representing 0.63 pct of the cell volume, were encased in AgCl and mounted in pyrophyllite, as shown schematically in Fig. 1. It can be seen that the specimen is in series with the graphite furnace. Resistance changes of 0.1 pct could be detected with a Kelvin bridge. Resistance of the sample was of the order of 1 milliohm. Other pertinent details in regard to calibration and cell-assembly design are given elsewhere.' Temperature calibration of the cell was carried out in two ways as a function of input wattage. Through a hole drilled in the graphite furnace, a chromel-alumel thermocouple was inserted into the AgCl to a point 0.010 in. from the sample, with the