Calorimetric study of enthalpies of mixing in liquid gallium–germanium–yttrium alloys

The yttrium partial enthalpies of mixing image and the integral enthalpies of mixing (ΔmixH) of liquid Ga–Ge–Y alloys have been determined by high-temperature mixing calorimetry for five sections with constant ratios of Ga and Ge at 1760 K. Plots of concentration dependence of image show sharp inflections, which correspond to transition of the liquid alloys into heterogeneous state and can be used for determination of liquidus surface. Furthermore, the ΔmixH has been estimated in the ternary system using seven geometric models and the Bonnier model has been chosen as the most adequate one. The differences between the experimental and model integral enthalpies of mixing have been described by polynomial concentration dependence. The possible contribution of binary and ternary intermetallide compounds into the thermodynamics of the liquid Ga–Ge–Y alloys has been considered.