Study of the polymorphic hexagonal-face-centered-cubic transformation in Cu2S

The results of a dynamic high-temperature x-ray diffraction investigation into the special characteristics of the hexagonal-fcc polymorphic transformation in Cu2S are presented. Close to the phase-transformation temperature, two groups of superstructural reflections appear on the x-ray diffraction patterns, some of these being indexed in the 12H hexagonal lattice (Ramsdel) and others in the 14H lattice. The mechanism of the hexagonal — fcc phase transition in Cu2S is considered as passing through the intermediate 12H and 14H polytypic structures by way of the successive accumulation of periodically disposed stacking faults. The effect of thermal cycling within the phase-transformation temperature range on the course of the actual transformation is verified.