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This is due largely to the fact that eutectic mixtures were not known, as equivalent proportions of various salts have been employed, while eutectic mixtures are seldom found to possess any simple arithmetical molecular relationship between their constituents. Eutectic salt alloys closely resemble cryohydrates in behavior.
If this is removed, the thermometer falls until a fixed point is reached at which the temperature remains stationary until the whole of the mixture solidifies. On remelting, the temperature of solidification is found to be quite fixed, and the mixture is evidently eutectic.
It will be seen at once by this definition that the temperature of liquefaction of a eutectic substance is lower than the temperature of liquefaction of either or any of the constituents of the mixture. And, further, it is plain that those substances only can be eutectic which we can obtain both as liquid and solid, and hence the property of eutexia is closely connected with solution.
We have already seen with salt eutectics that, given the curve of melting-points of a mixture in various proportions, we may predict the existence, composition, and melting-point of the eutectic alloy. As a matter of course, the same thing holds good for metallic eutectics.
Here the thermometer remains stationary until the whole has become solid, and, on remelting, this temperature is found to be quite fixed. In addition to the di-eutectic alloys, we have also tri- and tetra-eutectic alloys, and as an example of the latter we may take the bismuth-tin-lead-cadmium eutectic alloy, melting at 71°.
It is found if two metals are fused together and the mixture allowed to cool, that the temperature falls until a point is reached at which that metal which is present in a proportion greater than is required to form the eutectic alloy begins to separate. If this solid be removed as it forms, the temperature gradually falls until a fixed point is reached, at which the eutectic alloy solidifies.
Two molecules of the monohydrochloride and one molecule of the dihydrochloride form a mixture which melts at about 20°. Although many fusible alloys have been long known, I believe no true eutectic metallic alloy had been studied until Dr. Guthrie worked at the subject, employing the same methods as with his cryohydrates.
As an example, we may take the determinations of the melting-points of mixtures of potassium and sodium nitrate by M. Maumené. From this diagram we should be led to expect a eutectic mixture, since the curve dips below a horizontal line passing through the melting-point of the more fusible of its constituents. From our curve we should expect a eutectic mixture with about 35 per cent.
We may define a eutectic substance as a body composed of two or more constituents, which constituents are in such proportion to one another as to give to the resultant compound body a minimum temperature of liquefaction that is, a lower temperature of liquefaction than that given by any other proportion.
In the second case, where cohesion A B = cohesion A + B, we should obtain melting-points for the mixture which would agree with the mean of the melting-points of the constituents, the curve of melting-points would be a straight line, and again no eutectic mixture would be possible.
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