Hf dopants in gamma -Ni3Al alloy

The Time Differential Perturbed Angular (TDPAC) measurements of nuclear quadrupole interactions (NQIs) at Ta-181 ion probe in the polycrystalline intermetallic alloy gamma-Ni3Al doped with 0.2 at. % Hf were performed in the temperature range 78-1230K, in order to determine the lattice location of Hf atoms in the ordered gamma-Ni3Al structure. The two NQIs obtained are discussed within the present L1(2) cubic structure and a tetragonal distortion of L1(2) to another two DO22 and L6(0) type structures. The first low frequency NQI at the site of the Ta-181 ion-probe after substitution of aluminum for hafnium in DO22 at ambient temperature, is v(Q1)(300 K) = 39(1) MHz with eta(1) = 0. The corresponding high frequency value on the second crystallographic site in L6(0), is v(Q2)(300 K) = 204(14) MHz with eta(2) = 0.47(11). These two NQIs have different temperature behavior. The presence of both DO22 and L6(0) tetragonal distortions of the parent cubic L1(2) lattice, detected after adding 0.2 at. % Hf, are with modulations to the lattice constant (a) with a ratio (c/a), 2.04 and 0.87, respectively. Ab initio calculations of electronic and structural properties and hyperfine parameters at the Ta-181 ion probe of the gamma-Ni3Al-0.2 at. % Hf alloy were performed using the full potential augmented plane wave plus local-orbital (APW+lo) method as implemented in the WIEN2k code. The accuracy of the calculations and comparison with the experimental results enabled us to identify the observed hyperfine interactions and to infer the EFG sign that cannot be measured in conventional TDPAC measurements. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC