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International Journal of Modern Science and Technology 2025;10(1):17-24.                                          Full Paper (PDF)

International Journal of Modern Science and Technology

Characterization and Formation of Rare Earth (Ce) – Transition metal (Ni) alloy by Reduction-Diffusion Process

Ilayaraja Marimuthu¹*, Jayajothi kallimuthu², Mahendran Gurusamy³, Karthikeyan Shanmugam¹
¹Department of Petrochemical Technology, SSM College of Engineering, Komaraplayam, Namakkal Dt., Tamil Nadu
²Department of Petrochemical Technology, Mahendra Institute of Engineering and Technology, Namakkal Dt., Tamil Nadu.
³Department of Petrochemical Technology, RVS College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Email: maililaya@gmail.com

​​Abstract
Cerium Nickel alloy (CeNi5 ) alloy is the energy storage material, which was produced from its ores directly. The reduction-diffusion process was a new method and less expensive method of formation of rare earth –transition metal alloy compounds from its ore directly.  The thermodynamic and kinetics feasible conditions for CeNi5 by reduction – diffusion method in Ce-Ni-Ca system were evaluated. The shrinking unreacted core model (SUCM) theory was used to explain the reduction-diffusion process in which the diffusion is confirmed as rate controlling step.  The CeNi5 phase was confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction techniques. The morphology structure of particles and chemical composition of Ce-Ni alloy have been examined by Scanning Electron Microscope technique (SEM) and EDAX technique respectively.  The apparent activation energy of CeNi5 was approximately 40 kJ/mol.

Keywords: Shrinking Unreacted Core model theory; Reduction-diffusion process; CeO2-Ca-Co; Activation energy; Gibbs Free energy.

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ISSN 2456-0235