The Li-Sb phase diagram part I: New experimental results

Abstract

Although several versions of the phase diagram for the Li-Sb system exist, and critical assessments of the data have been performed, there is still a lack of fundamental experimental data, especially with regard to the melting behavior of the liquid phase. Therefore, the aim of this work is to establish the phase relations in the Li-Sb system based on reliable experimental techniques. 27 Li-Sb samples were synthesized and powder X-Ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis and drop solution calorimetry were performed. On the basis of the obtained results, the Li-Sb phase diagram was reconstructed. In particular, the transition temperatures for the monovariant and invariant reactions were revised to be in agreement with the experimental data. The existence of two intermetallic compounds Li3Sb and Li2Sb and their reported structures could also be confirmed. However, the cubic to hexagonal transition temperature of Li3Sb was omitted, since the cubic polymorph was found to be a meta-stable, pressure stabilized modification.