Elucidation of crystal structure of Hume-Rothery alloys (1)

This paper describes the following: (1) Hume-Rothery alloy (HR alloy) and its research history, (2) current situation of Cu-Zn, Cu-Sn, Cu-Al as the representative examples of HR alloys studied by Westgren, (3) molecular level alloy research in the early 20th century, and (4) the advent of X-ray diffraction and alloy research at atomic level. Regarding the structural elucidation of HR alloys performed by Westgren, it describes the elucidation of the structure of Cu-Al alloys using X-ray diffraction method as a new technique in 1924, and the structure elucidation of many compound phases appearing in Cu-Zn, Ag-Zn, Au-Zn systems (α phase, β phase, γ phase, γ′ phase, γ″ phase, ε phase and η phase) using X-ray diffraction method in 1925. (A.O.)