Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculation of the Zn–Fe–Sb system

The 873 K isothermal section of the Zn–Fe–Sb ternary system was experimentally determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with wave dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). A ternary compound FeZnSb was found in this system at 873 K. Experimental results indicate that Sb solubility in δ and Γ phases is less than 1 at.%. At this temperature, the liquid phase is in equilibrium with all phases in the system except α-Fe phase. Based on the experiment results together with available information in the literature, a thermodynamic description for the Zn–Fe–Sb system was developed. The ternary compound FeZnSb was treated as a stoichiometric compound. Good agreement was obtained between the calculation and the experimental results.