Statistical theory of the hydrogen-induced phase decomposition of an amorphous zirconium-palladium alloy with the formation of metal hydrides. Hydrogen solubility in phases

A statistical theory is developed for the decomposition of an amorphous zirconium-palladium alloy in a hydrogen atmosphere with the formation of metal hydrides. The free energies of the phases are calculated, and equations for the equilibrium states of the phases are derived. The phase-transformation temperatures are determined, and their dependences on the system composition are obtained. The temperature dependences of the hydrogen solubilities in the phases are found, and the appearance of the inflection points or jumps at the phase-transformation points, which are experimentally observed as inflections in the dependences, is grounded. Hydrogen solubility isotherms are calculated, and the possibility of a hysteresis effect is revealed.