Effect of copper, aluminum and tin addition on thermal contraction of indium melt clusters

The structure of In-1% Cu, In-1% Al and In-1% Sn (mass fraction) alloy melt were investigated in the temperature range 280 to 750 °C by using a high-temperature X-ray diffractometer, and were compared with that of pure In melt. The experimental results show that, with the addition of 1% Cu, 1% Al or 1% Sn, thermal contraction phenomenon of atom clusters can be found in melts as temperature increases like in pure In melt. But the degree and the characteristic of thermal contraction are different from those of pure In melt. The contraction increases with the addition of 1% Cu or 1% Al and decreases with the addition of 1% Sn. With the addition of 1% Cu, the sudden change and noticeable contraction are measured in the range of 280-390 °C. The temperature range is lower than that of pure In melt. With the addition of 1% Al or 1% Sn, the contraction is not consistent in whole measurement temperature range. The anomalous change occurs at about 390 and 550 °C, respectively.