E. A. Pavlov, I. V. Chuprov, P. A. Udod, A. A. Pshenichnaya, M. V. Nikulin, E. V. Mal’tsev, T. F. Grigoreva,
[E. A. Pastukhov], A. P. Skuratov, N. Z. Lyakhov
ABSTRACT
The interaction between a solid inert metal (Ru) and an active liquid metal (Ga) on the mechanical activation in high-energy planetary mill was studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with EDS-apparatus for high-resolution energy dispersion X-ray microanalysis. The influence of the regime of mechanical activation on the formation of intermetallic compounds GaxRuy and composites GaxRuy/Ru and on their solubility in concentrated acids were investigated. Gallium is a surface-active substance for ruthenium. On the mechanical activation liquid Ga penetrates at the grain boundaries of polycrystalline ruthenium particles and sharply reduces their strength. As a result of strong mechanical deformation the contact surface area between the solid and liquid metals is significantly increased, where the intermetallic compounds are intensively formed. Under the treatment by mixture of concentrated hydrochloric and nitric acids, ruthenium (~37%) from the intermetallic compounds passes into the acidic solution, forming a complex compounds HxRuCly (H2RuCl6).
KEYWORDS:
mechanochemical synthesis, intermetallic compounds, gallium, ruthenium, ruthenium complex compounds.