Experimental investigation and thermodynamic prediction of the Cu-Sb-Zn phase diagram

Abstract

Ternary Cu-Sb-Zn system has been thermodynamically assessed by using CALPHAD method and experimentally by DSC and SEM-EDS methods. The liquidus projection, invariant equilibria, several vertical sections and isothermal sections at 450 degrees C and 25 degrees C were predicted using COST 531 Thermodynamic Database. Phase transition temperatures of alloys along three predicted vertical sections of the Cu-Sb-Zn ternary system with molar ratios Cu:Zn = 1: 3, Cu: Zn = 1 and Sb:Zn = 1, were determined by DSC analysis. Predicted isothermal sections at 450 degrees C and 25 degrees C were compared with the results of the SEM-EDS analysis. The calculated values were found to be in a good agreement with the experimentally obtained values and literature data.