Work Function Measurement of Lanthanum - Boron Compounds

The La-B system was studied between LaB4.24 and LaB29.2, and between 1400 and 2100 K to determine the phase relationship, the chemical activity of the components, the vaporization rate and the vapor composition. A blue colored phase near LaB9 was found to exist between purple colored LaB6 and elemental boron. Diffusion is so much slower than vaporization that large composition differences can exist between the surface and the interior which, nevertheless, produce a steady state loss rate from freely vaporizing material. The flux at 1700 K is 6 × 10-10 g/cm2-sec for LaB4 + LaB6 and 7 × 10-11 g/cm2-sec for LaB6 + LaB9. There is an activation energy which lowers the vaporization rate of boron from LaB6. Freely vaporizing material will have a steady state surface composition between LaB6.04 and LaB6.07, depending on temperaure, purity and interior composition. The free energy of formation of LaB6 is (0.071T-351) kJ/mole between 1700 K and 2100 K.