METASTABLE EXTENSION OF SOLID SOLUBILITY OF CERTAIN SIMPLE METALS OR METALLOIDS IN Ag

The metastable extension of solid solubility of certain simple metals or metalloids in Ag has been studied by means of the lattice parameters measurement when the aUoy specimens quenched from melts. It is found that the solid solubility metastable extension of such elements in Ag that form a lot of peritectic binary alloys with Ag is conformed to the rule of valence electron concentration, but that of those which form eutectic or monotectic alloys does not satisfy the rule. The peritectic alloys may be classified into two types with quite different behaviours of solid solubility metastable extension. It seems to be easily clarified that the influence of the composition range of intermediate phase on the solid solubility metastable extension is more important than its stability. The reason why Si is less soluble in Ag has been also discussed by Miedema's theory.