Experimental study of the phase equilibria in the Mg–Zn–Ag ternary system at 300 °C

The phase equilibria in the Mg-Zn-Ag ternary system at 300 [degrees]C were investigated using three diffusion couples and 35 key samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscope (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used for homogeneity ranges and crystal structure determination. Large solid solubility limits, due to substitution among Mg, Zn and Ag atoms in Mg sub(3)Ag and MgZn sub(2) phases, were observed in the present work. Solid solubility limits of Ag and Zn in the hep (Mg) phase were found to be less than 1 at.%. The extended solid solubilities of the Mg sub(12)Zn sub(13), Mg sub(2)Zn sub(3), MgZn sub(2) (C14), Mg sub(2)Zn sub(11), Ag sub(5)Zn sub(8) and hep (AgZn sub(3)) sub-binary compounds were also determined in the Mg-Zn-Ag ternary system. In addition, a bcc continuous ternary solid solution forms between MgAg (bcc_B2) and AgZn (bcc_A2) at 300 [degrees]C.