Correlation between bulk and surface phenomena in Ga-(Bi,In) and In-Bi liquid alloys

Thermodynamic models are used to correlate the bulk and surface properties of mixing of Ga-(Bi,In) and In-Bi liquid alloys. It provides useful insight into the energetics of binary alloys (Ga-Bi, Ga-In and In-Bi) which are constituent components of ternary Ga-In-Bi alloys. The positive deviation of the properties of Ga-Bi and Ga-In alloys from the ideal mixing condition and negative deviation for In-Bi are discussed in terms of the interaction energies and hence a consistent set of different thermodynamic functions are obtained as a function of composition. Our calculations indicate that the surface of Ga-Bi is richer with Bi- atoms than in In-Bi. However, in atoms segregate to the surface of the Ga-In alloys.