Phase Formation and Microhardness in Contact Interlayers of a Bismuth–Cadmium System with Calcium Impurities and Electrotransfer

X-ray means are used to investigate phase formation upon contact melting, including cases of electrotransfer, in Cd–In and Cd–Sn systems upon adding small amounts of sodium to cadmium. The nucleation of two- and three-component intermetallic compounds is established. It is shown that the microhardness of interlayers depends largely on the direction of the current in the zone of contact melting. An attempt is made to explain the obtained results.