Further remarks on the actinide alloys

3 Further remarks on the actinide alloys. Among the different alloys of the actinides especially those formed by Th, U and Pu are well known. The compound formation patterns of these metals are shown in Fig. 5.14 where a comparison is made with the behaviour of the other metals of the 3rd group, that is, the rare earth metals (Sc, Y, lanthanides). It is worth presenting here a few more details about the alloying behaviour of these actinides. 

A further group of very stable (refractory) compounds is formed (as noticed in the comments to Table 5.18) with the elements at the far right part of the Periodic Table. Within the general reactivity pattern of uranium (Fig. 5.14), the seemingly irregular behaviour shown by the U-Ag system (2nd box in the 11th column) may 

Other uranium binary systems de-mixing in the liquid state are U-Pb and U-Bi and several uranium-lanthanides systems which are characterized by nearly complete immiscibility in the liquid and solid state. 

Complete solubility in the liquid and, at least at high temperature, in the solid state is observed in the systems with Ti, Zr, Hf and Nb. 

Plutonium. The compound formation pattern of this metal shows several analogies with that of uranium. Compound formation is systematically observed with the elements from the 7th group on and, with a few intermediate phases, in the systems with some elements of the very first groups. 

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