The low temperature transport properties of the palladium-silver alloy series

Abstract We have set up a simple model of the electronic structure of the palladium-silver alloy series that is consistent with what is known about the Fermi surface of pure palladium and the general thermodynamic behaviour of the alloys. We have then shown that the model can explain the concentration dependence of the resistivity (both residual and room temperature) at least as well as the earlier calculations of Coles and Taylor (1962). In addition we have shown that the model can account for the magnitude of the low temperature thermopower in the palladium-rich alloys.