X-ray investigations of liquid bismuth-copper alloys

Liquid copper, bismuth, and eleven bismuth-copper alloys were investigated at temperatures above the liquidus with X-ray diffraction. The experimental procedure was adjusted to reduce the effects of evaporation. The Faber-Zim an total structure factors S(Q) feature a splitting of the first maximum an d negative values for Q around 1 Angstrom(-1) in a large concentration rang e. The results are compared to previous neutron diffraction results by Zais s and Steeb, to square-well potential model calculations by Gopala Rao and Satpathy and to a simple segregation model. The segregation model reproduce s the features qualitatively. Partial structure factors are assessed by fit ting both neutron and X-ray scattering results with reverse Monte-Carlo sim ulation.