Effects of lithium, indium, and zinc on the lattice parameters of magnesium

The lattice parameters of magnesium solid-solution alloys with lithium, indium, and/or zinc have been determined via x-ray diffraction (XRD). Li decreased the axial ratio (c/a) of Mg from 1.624 to 1.6068 within 0–16 at.% Li. Indium increased the c/a of Mg to 1.6261 with increasing In toward 3.3 at.% while Zn showed no effect on c/a in the 0.2–0.7 at.% range. The effects were explained by electron overlap through the first Brillouin zone and by Vegard’s Law. A relationship was determined between electron concentration (e/a) and c/a as c/a = −15.6(e/a)² + 60(e/a) − 55.8.