High-temperature liquid–liquid structure transition in liquid Sn–Bi alloys: Experimental evidence by electrical resistivity method

The electrical resistivity of liquid Sn–Bi alloys has been investigated as a function of temperature by the DC four-probe technique. Obvious turning point is observed on resistivity–temperature (ρ–Tρ–T) curve of different Sn–Bi alloy, while the resistivity increases linearly with temperature increasing before the turning point. Moreover, different composition alloy shows different turning temperature on ρ–Tρ–T curve. Since resistivity is one of the physical properties sensitive to structure, its discontinuous alteration with temperature reveals the liquid–liquid structure transition in the Sn–Bi melts. Furthermore, comparing the heating ρ–Tρ–T curve with the cooling one of the eutectic alloy Sn43Bi57, it is found that the possible structure transition is irreversible.