Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculations of the Ag–Sb–Zn phase diagram

Abstract

Phase diagram of the Ag–Sb–Zn ternary system was investigated experimentally by DTA and SEM–EDS methods and theoretically by CALPHAD method. The liquidus projection, invariant equilibria, four vertical sections: Ag–Sb0.5Zn0.5, Ag–Sb0.2Zn0.8, Sb–Ag0.5Zn0.5 and x(Ag)=0.4 as well as isothermal section at 400°C were predicted using COST 531 thermodynamic database. In the experimental part of the work, phase transition temperatures of the selected samples with compositions along calculated isopleths were measured using DTA (Differential Thermal Analysis). Experimentally determined phase transition temperatures were compared with the results of thermodynamic calculation. Predicted isothermal section at 400°C was compared with the results of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analysis from this work. The obtained values showed good agreement.