The need for better gas turbine operating efficiency and reliability has resulted in tightening of specification and acceptance standards. It has been realized that some elements even at trace level, can have disastrous effect on high temperature properties. The present paper highlights the adverse effect of tramp elements and strategies that should be adopted to produce high purity superalloys.

X-ray absorption spectra of PbMoO₄ (LMO) crystals have been investigated for the first time in literature. The measurements have been carried out at Mo absorption edge at the dispersive EXAFS beamline (BL-8) of INDUS-2 Synchrotron facility at Indore, India. The optics of the beamline was set to obtain a band of 2000 eV at 20,000 eV and the channels of the CCD detector were calibrated by recording the absorption edges of standard Mo and Nb foils in the same setting. The absorption spectra have been measured for three LMO samples prepared under different conditions viz.

The results have been explained on the basis of the defect structure analysed in LMO crystals prepared under different conditions. The Mo absorption edge is significantly influenced by the deviations in crystal stoichiometry.

Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ crystals are found to exhibit pale yellow colouration while PbGeO₃ are colourless. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements show lead deficiency in both the crystals. The results also reveal a stronger ionic character for PbGeO₃ as compared to Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ crystal. The binding energy of Ge3𝑑 core level in the case of Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ crystal is found to be smaller than the binding energy of germanium oxide, thereby indicating the incomplete oxidation of Ge ions in the crystal lattice. On gamma ray irradiation, the transmission of both the crystals is observed to deteriorate uniformly over the entire wavelength range, which has been attributed to the oxidation of some of the lattice Pb ions. On gamma irradiation the changes observed in O1𝑠 core level energies for both the crystals are seen to be consistent with the changes noted in the Pb4𝑓_7/2 and Ge3𝑑 spectra. Interestingly, the results reveal oxidation of surface Ge atoms with atmospheric oxygen under gamma irradiation.

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements on PbMoO₄ (LMO) crystals have been performed at the recently-commissioned dispersive EXAFS beamline (BL-8) of INDUS-2 Synchrotron facility at Indore, India. The LMO samples were prepared under three different conditions viz.

The EXAFS data obtained at both Pb 𝐿₃ and Mo K edges of LMO have been analysed to determine Pb–O, Pb–Mo and Mo–O bond lengths in the crystals. The information thus obtained has been used to examine the microscopic defect structures in crystals grown under different conditions.

Mn and Cr K X-ray absorption edges were measured in various compounds containing Mn in Mn²⁺, Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ oxidation states and Cr in Cr³⁺ and Cr⁶⁺ oxidation states. Few compounds possess tetrahedral coordination in the 1st shell surrounding the cation while others possess octahedral coordination. Measurements have been carried out at the energy dispersive EXAFS beamline at INDUS-2 Synchrotron Radiation Source at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore. Energy shifts of ∼8–16 eV were observed for Mn K edge in the Mn-compounds while a shift of 13–20 eV was observed for Cr K edge in Cr-compounds compared to values in elementalMn and Cr, respectively. The different chemical shifts observed for compounds having the same oxidation state of the cation but different anions or ligands show the effect of different chemical environments surrounding the cations in determining their X-ray absorption edges in the above compounds. The above chemical effect has been quantitatively described by determining the effective charges on Mn and Cr cations in the above compounds.

Uranium L₃ X-ray absorption edge was measured in various compounds containing uranium in U⁴⁺, U⁵⁺ and U⁶⁺ oxidation states. The measurements have been carried out at the Energy Dispersive EXAFS beamline (BL-08) at INDUS-2 synchrotron radiation source at RRCAT, Indore. Energy shifts of ∼ 2–3 eV were observed for U L₃ edge in the U-compounds compared to their value in elemental U. The different chemical shifts observed for the compounds having the same oxidation state of the cation but different anions or ligands show the effect of different chemical environments surrounding the cations in determining their X-ray absorption edges in the above compounds. The above chemical effect has been quantitatively described by determining the effective charges on U cation in the above compounds.