INVESTIGATION OF THE FE BINDING-PROPERTIES IN ZR(ALXFE1-X)2 BY NUCLEAR RESONANT PHOTON SCATTERING

A study of the iron binding properties in the Zr(AlxFe1-x)2 system, x = 0, 0.083, 0.2, is made by utilizing the nuclear resonant photon scat tering (NRPS) of 8.512 MeV gamma rays from Fe-56. Large samples of Zr( AlxFe1-x)2 compounds, about 200 g each, were introduced into the photo n beam emitted by a Cr(n,gamma) source. The scattered 8.512 MeV gamma radiation was detected by a large, 130 cm3 HPGe detector. An experimen tal set-up was designed to enable a direct comparison of the scattered intensities, thus obviating complicated self-absorption and geometric al corrections. A substitution of small amounts of Fe in ZrFe2 by Al, x = 0.083, 0.2 was found to cause a reduction of the resonantly scatte red intensity. This result indicates a softening of the Fe bonding str ength in the corresponding compounds. Since such a substitution is als o known to cause a large increase in the hydrogen absorption capacity, our results seem to conform with a prediction of the rule of reverse capacity.