Phase transformations in ternary monotectic aluminum alloys

Abstract

Monotectic aluminum alloys are of interest for the development of new alloys for technological applications such as self-lubricating bearings. In contrast to the well-known binary phase diagrams, many of the ternary systems are not well established. Moreover, in a ternary monotectic alloy one may encounter the four-phase equilibrium L′+L″+solid1+solid2, whereas in a binary system only a three-phase equilibrium L′+L″+solid1 is possible. This opens a window for generating entirely new monotectic microstructures. The basis for such developments is the knowledge of the ternary phase diagrams and the conditions under which such four-phase reactions or different extensions of the binary monotectic reactions may form. This work presents a systematic classification of monotectic ternary aluminum alloys, illustrated by real systems. The study employs thermodynamic calculations of the ternary phase diagrams.