Valence-electron configuration of Ti and Ni in TixNi1-x alloys from Kβ-to-Kα X-ray intensity ratio studies

K beta-to-K alpha X-ray intensity ratios of Ti and Ni have been measured in pure metals and in alloys of Tix-Ni1-x (x=0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3) following excitation by 22.69 key X-rays from a 10 mCi Cd-109 radioactive point source. The valence-electron configurations of these metals were determined by corporation of measured K beta-to-K alpha X-ray intensity ratios with the results of multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculation for various valence-electron configurations. Valence-electron configurations of 3d-transition metals in alloys indicate significant differences with respect to the pure metals. Our analysis indicates that these differences arise from delocalization and/or charge transfer phenomena in alloys. Namely, the observed change of the valence-electron configurations of metals in alloys can be explained with the transfer of 3d electrons from one element to the other element and/or the rearrangement of electrons between 3d and 4s, 4p states of individual metal atoms. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.