Vacancy concentrations in the B2 intermetallic phase PdIn at 900°C

X-ray and bulk densities of PdIn were determined. These measurements were made at room temperature on samples annealed at 900°C and quenched in water/ice mixtures. On the basis of these measurements, the vacancy concentrations in this intermetallic phase were obtained. These data can be described quantitatively by a thermodynamic model derived from the existence of triple-defects in the lattice. The vacancy data show that the predominant point defects in PdIn are not of the Schottky type as reported in a recent publication. However, they are consistent with the triple-defect type which exists in many similar intermetallic phases such as NiAl.